Rajasthan Assembly Speaker Dismisses Congress Claims as Misleading
Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani strongly rejected allegations from the Congress party on Sunday. He called their claims about restricting legislators' rights to ask questions in the House both misleading and politically motivated.
Press Conference Clarification
Devnani addressed journalists at the Constitution Club of Rajasthan. He explained that the Assembly bulletin issued on January 7 did not introduce any new restrictions. The Speaker emphasized that it simply reiterated procedural norms established in 2020.
"These norms were framed during the previous Congress government," Devnani stated. "The House was presided over by then Speaker C P Joshi at that time."
Response to Former Chief Minister
The Speaker responded directly to former chief minister Ashok Gehlot's criticism. Gehlot had charged that the guidelines went against basic democratic principles.
"I was delighted to see that you are an avid newspaper reader," Devnani said to Gehlot. "But it shocked and saddened me that you missed the Assembly bulletins issued before every Budget session from 2020 through 2023."
Devnani reminded everyone that Gehlot himself served as Leader of the House during those years.
Defending Established Procedures
Devnani labeled the allegations "utterly ridiculous." He said claims that such an order appeared for the first time in the country were completely baseless.
"The Assembly maintains a library and bulletin booklets," he pointed out. "Does one not even have time to examine them?"
Questioning Opposition Leadership
The Speaker expressed surprise that Congress Legislature Party leadership raised objections now. He noted that Opposition Leader Tikaram Jully served as a Cabinet minister in 2020.
"It is surprising that Jully remains unaware of this," Devnani remarked.
He recalled events from 2020 when the process began. Then Deputy Leader of the Opposition Rajendra Rathore objected at that time. The then Speaker clarified that the matter fell within the Speaker's prerogative.
"If this arrangement was undemocratic or diminished the House's dignity," Devnani asked, "why did no one object over the past six years? Why especially during the four years when you led the House?"
Guidelines Substance and Practice
Devnani reiterated that the guidelines relate to long-standing rules about question admissibility. However, sources indicated the five-year advisory was not followed rigidly in practice.
The Speaker maintained his office's commitment to democratic traditions and parliamentary decorum. He urged legislators to avoid politicizing established procedures.
Controversial Bulletin Details
The bulletin that sparked this controversy includes specific advisories:
- Questions should generally not concern matters older than five years
- Exceptions exist for unresolved issues or those with ongoing public relevance
- Members should frame questions with reference to specific villages, tehsils, or Assembly constituencies
- Questions should avoid seeking broad district- or state-level information where possible
Attempts to contact former Speaker C P Joshi for his response proved unsuccessful. He did not reply to inquiries about Devnani's claims regarding the 2020 procedures.
