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The Hindu Editorial • February 09, 2026 •
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Question and answer: on Parliament, parliamentary norms
Parliament must function as the forum to debate contentious issues
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Analysis of editorial from The Hindu newspaper on February 09, 2026
Question and answer: on Parliament, parliamentary norms
Parliament must function as the forum to debate contentious issues
Parliamentary NormsLok SabhaPrime MinisterMotion of ThanksDemocratic AccountabilityRahul Gandhi
Sentences
Sentence 1 of 16
Sentences Breakdown
Editorial Summary
5-Point Summary
- 1 The Lok Sabha recently deviated from standard practice by passing the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address without a reply from the Prime Minister.
- 2 Speaker Om Birla claimed he advised the PM to skip the reply due to safety concerns and potential “unexpected” actions by the Opposition.
- 3 Critics argue that avoiding the House because of safety fears from fellow MPs is an unusual and weak justification for the PM’s absence.
- 4 The editorial suggests the real reason was to avoid debating sensitive issues from former Army Chief Gen M.M. Naravane’s unpublished book, which the Opposition tried to cite.
- 5 The failure to hold a complete debate with a Prime Ministerial reply is seen as a serious blow to democratic accountability and parliamentary traditions.
Tone of the Editorial
Critical
Why this tone?
The editorial is critical of the government and the Speaker for bypassing established parliamentary conventions. It uses words like “unusual departure,” “bizarre,” “indefensible,” and “disturbing erosion” to express strong disapproval of the executive’s decision to avoid accountability in the House.
Sentence 1 of 16
In an unusual departure from established parliamentary convention, the Lok Sabha adopted the motion of thanks to the President’s address to Parliament without the Prime Minister’s reply to the debate on February 5.
Sentence Breakdown
Part 1
In an unusual departure from established parliamentary convention
In a way that is different from the traditional rules followed in the Parliament for a long time
Part 2
the Lok Sabha
The Lower House of the Indian Parliament (House of the People)
Part 3
adopted
Officially accepted or passed
Part 4
the motion of thanks to the President’s address to Parliament
A formal vote to thank the President for the speech given at the start of the session
Part 5
without the Prime Minister’s reply to the debate
Doing it without waiting for the Prime Minister to first answer the questions raised during the discussion
Part 6
on February 5
The specific date when this happened
Sentence 2 of 16
The explanation by the Lok Sabha Speaker, Om Birla, for the Prime Minister not replying to the discussion on the motion raised more questions than it answered.
Sentence Breakdown
Part 1
The explanation by the Lok Sabha Speaker, Om Birla, for the Prime Minister not replying to the discussion on the motion
The reason given by Om Birla (the head of the Lower House) as to why the PM did not answer the debate
Part 2
raised
Created or gave rise to
Part 3
more questions than it answered
Instead of making things clear, it made people even more confused or suspicious
Sentence 3 of 16
Mr. Birla said that he had concrete information about Opposition Members of Parliament (MP) planning something “unexpected”, obliquely suggesting that they may have caused harm to the Prime Minister inside the House.
Sentence Breakdown
Part 1
Mr. Birla
Om Birla, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha
Part 2
said
Stated or claimed
Part 3
that he had concrete information about Opposition Members of Parliament (MP) planning something “unexpected”
That he had solid proof that the members from the other parties were going to do something unusual
Part 4
obliquely suggesting that they may have caused harm to the Prime Minister inside the House
Indirectly hinting that the Opposition members might have physically hurt or troubled the PM in the Parliament
Sentence 4 of 16
It is bizarre to assume that the Leader of the House — the Prime Minister — avoids speaking in the House fearing harm from fellow MPs.
Sentence Breakdown
Part 1
It
A word used here to start the sentence before the real subject comes at the end
Part 2
is
Is (describing a state)
Part 3
bizarre
Very strange or unusual
Part 4
to assume that the Leader of the House — the Prime Minister — avoids speaking in the House fearing harm from fellow MPs
To think that the PM (who leads the Parliament) stays away from speaking because he is afraid of being hurt by other members
Sentence 5 of 16
Developments in the House, earlier and outside, provide a more plausible reason for the Prime Minister not showing up in the Lok Sabha.
Sentence Breakdown
Part 1
Developments in the House, earlier and outside
Recent events that happened inside the Parliament and also in other places
Part 2
provide
Give or offer
Part 3
a more plausible reason for the Prime Minister not showing up in the Lok Sabha
A better and more believable reason why the PM did not come to the Lower House
Sentence 6 of 16
The Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, during his speech on the discussion on the motion of thanks, sought to cite excerpts from a book by former Chief of the Army Staff, General M.M. Naravane, which was disallowed by the Chair.
Sentence Breakdown
Part 1
The Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi
Rahul Gandhi, who heads the largest group of parties opposing the government in the Lower House
Part 2
during his speech on the discussion on the motion of thanks
While he was talking during the debate about the President’s address
Part 3
sought to cite
Wanted to quote or mention
Part 4
excerpts from a book by former Chief of the Army Staff, General M.M. Naravane
Small parts or paragraphs from a book written by the retired head of the Indian Army
Part 5
which was disallowed by the Chair
Which the Speaker did not permit him to do
Sentence 7 of 16
On the one hand, the LoP was not allowed to speak and, on the other, the Prime Minister chose not to speak.
Sentence Breakdown
Part 1
On the one hand
Looking at the first part of the situation
Part 2
the LoP
The Leader of the Opposition (Rahul Gandhi)
Part 3
was not allowed to speak
Was stopped from talking in the House
Part 4
and on the other
Looking at the second or opposite part of the situation
Part 5
the Prime Minister
Narendra Modi, the head of the government
Part 6
chose not to speak
Decided by himself that he would not give a speech
Sentence 8 of 16
Both are against parliamentary norms and, more than that, a disturbing erosion of democratic accountability.
Sentence Breakdown
Part 1
Both
The two things mentioned earlier (the LoP not being allowed to speak and the PM choosing not to speak)
Part 2
are
Are (describing what they are)
Part 3
against parliamentary norms
Opposite to the standard rules and traditions of how the Parliament should run
Part 4
and, more than that
And even more importantly or seriously
Part 5
a disturbing erosion of democratic accountability
A worrying loss of the process where the government is answerable to the people
Sentence 9 of 16
The debate and reply function as a mechanism through which the executive is held accountable to Parliament.
Sentence Breakdown
Part 1
The debate and reply
The discussion in the House and the answer given by the government
Part 2
function
Work or act
Part 3
as a mechanism through which the executive is held accountable to Parliament
As a tool or process that makes sure the government (ministers) answers for its actions to the elected members
Sentence 10 of 16
Mr. Birla stated that he had requested the Prime Minister not to come to the House because there were credible inputs about a possible disruption or an “unforeseen” situation near the Prime Minister’s seat.
Sentence Breakdown
Part 1
Mr. Birla
The Speaker of the Lok Sabha (Om Birla)
Part 2
stated
Declared or said officially
Part 3
that he had requested the Prime Minister not to come to the House
That he asked the PM to stay away from the Parliament session
Part 4
because there were credible inputs about a possible disruption or an “unforeseen” situation near the Prime Minister’s seat
Because there was believable information about a potential disturbance or an unexpected problem near where the PM sits
Sentence 11 of 16
As Congress MP K.C. Venugopal has pointed out in a letter to the Prime Minister, parliamentary rules require that a debate on the motion of thanks must conclude with the Prime Minister’s reply, and if the House wishes to close the discussion without the Prime Minister’s reply, a specific resolution must be moved and adopted.
Sentence Breakdown
Part 1
As Congress MP K.C. Venugopal has pointed out in a letter to the Prime Minister
Just like K.C. Venugopal (a Member of Parliament from the Congress party) mentioned in his letter to PM Modi
Part 2
parliamentary rules
The written laws or guidelines that govern how the Parliament should work
Part 3
require
Demand or make it necessary
Part 4
that a debate on the motion of thanks must conclude with the Prime Minister’s reply, and if the House wishes to close the discussion without the Prime Minister’s reply, a specific resolution must be moved and adopted
That this specific debate must end with the PM’s answer; and if the members want to stop it without the PM’s answer, they must first pass a special vote to do so
Sentence 12 of 16
Whether or not the book in question was published, as long as Mr. Gandhi was willing to authenticate its contents and place it before the Chair, he should have been allowed to speak.
Sentence Breakdown
Part 1
Whether or not the book in question was published
It does not matter if the book we are talking about was already released in stores or not
Part 2
as long as Mr. Gandhi was willing to authenticate its contents and place it before the Chair
Provided that Rahul Gandhi was ready to prove the pages were real and give them to the Speaker for checking
Part 3
he
Rahul Gandhi (the LoP)
Part 4
should have been allowed to speak
It was right for him to keep talking, but he was stopped
Sentence 13 of 16
The book in question raises serious issues related to national security, and to deny elected members the opportunity to discuss these is indefensible.
Sentence Breakdown
Part 1
The book in question
The book which is being discussed (by Gen M.M. Naravane)
Part 2
raises
Brings up or highlights
Part 3
serious issues related to national security
Important problems about the safety and protection of the country
Part 4
and
And (connecting two ideas)
Part 5
to deny elected members the opportunity to discuss these
Refusing to give MPs (who people voted for) the chance to talk about these problems
Part 6
is
Is
Part 7
indefensible
Something that cannot be justified or defended as right; completely wrong
Sentence 14 of 16
The portions that Mr. Gandhi cited outside the House, if accurate, point to the tendency of the political executive to evade critical decision-making by passing the buck and then avoiding accountability.
Sentence Breakdown
Part 1
The portions that Mr. Gandhi cited outside the House
The parts of the book that Rahul Gandhi read or mentioned while talking to people and media outside the Parliament
Part 2
if accurate
If those parts are true and correct
Part 3
point to
Indicate or show evidence of
Part 4
the tendency of the political executive to evade critical decision-making by passing the buck and then avoiding accountability
The habit of the government leaders to avoid making tough choices by blaming others and then refusing to be answerable for it
Sentence 15 of 16
A thorough parliamentary discussion concluding with the Prime Minister’s reply would have been the opportunity to prove that charge wrong.
Sentence Breakdown
Part 1
A thorough parliamentary discussion concluding with the Prime Minister’s reply
A complete and detailed talk in Parliament that ends with the PM’s answer
Part 2
would have been
Could have happened (but did not)
Part 3
the opportunity to prove that charge wrong
The chance to show that the negative statement made against him was incorrect
Sentence 16 of 16
By skipping the reply, Prime Minister Narendra Modi proved his critics right.
Sentence Breakdown
Part 1
By skipping the reply
By choosing not to give his answer or speech
Part 2
Prime Minister Narendra Modi
The head of the Indian government
Part 3
proved
Showed or demonstrated that something is true
Part 4
his critics
People who find fault with him or disagree with his actions
Part 5
right
Correct in their opinions
Reading Comprehension
Practice questions based on this editorial
Reading Comprehension - Parliamentary Norms
Practice reading comprehension questions based on the editorial about unusual departures from parliamentary conventions and democratic accountability.
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