Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Prakash Javadekar on Tuesday criticised the Congress for targeting lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan over the issue of leader of Opposition (loP) status, saying casting aspersions on the Speaker was “outrageous, condemnable and unacceptable”.
“If people have not given them mandate to rule, people have not even chosen 55 of them, what can we doIJ How can we help,” he said.
His statement following Congress leader Amarinder Singh’s allegation that no decision by the Speaker on the issue of loP till now has raised fears that she could be “influenced” by the government.
The Congress also asserted that the post of loP in lok Sabha is its “right” and accused the government of playing “petty politics” over the issue. It hoped the Speaker will not allow her judgement to be “coloured” by various shades of politics. Both as the biggest party and also the biggest pre-poll alliance other than the ruling alliance, Congress is a natural claimant for the post of loP, party spokesperson Randip Surjewala told reporters here.
Surjewala’s remarks came after the Government hit out at Congress for targeting the Speaker over the loP status issue.