The Speaker of the Lok Sabha ordered the removal of remarks made by Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition, from the official parliamentary record [1].

The incident highlights the ongoing tension between the opposition and the ruling government regarding the conduct of debate in India's lower house. Such rulings on "unparliamentary language" often spark broader disputes over freedom of speech within the legislature.

The conflict occurred during a debate regarding the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill 2026 [3]. During the session, Gandhi used the words "idiot" and "andhbhakt" [1].

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju objected to the language used by the opposition leader [2]. Following the objection, the Speaker said the specific terms were unparliamentary and directed that they be expunged from the proceedings [2].

The removal of the words followed a period of ruckus within the chamber in New Delhi [1]. This process of expungement is a standard procedure used by the Speaker to maintain the decorum of the house when members use language deemed offensive or inappropriate [2].

Gandhi's comments were made amidst a larger discussion on the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test, commonly known as NEET [1]. The debate over the amendment bill reflects the government's efforts to curb unfair means in public examinations [3].

“The Speaker said the words were unparliamentary, ordering their removal”

The expungement of these terms underscores the strict adherence to parliamentary decorum in the Lok Sabha, where the Speaker holds significant power to sanitize the official record. By labeling terms like 'andhbhakt'—a common political pejorative—as unparliamentary, the house maintains a formal barrier against the colloquial and polarized language prevalent in Indian social media and street politics.