The discussion on the no-confidence motion against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla saw the Opposition target not just him but also the government, with Congress Deputy Leader in the House Gaurav Gogoi saying the situation in the House “was such because of the country’s leadership”.
Initiating the debate, Gogoi said the Opposition was compelled to bring a resolution for Birla’s removal as LS Speaker to “save the Constitution” and the “dignity of the House”. He accused Birla of being “partisan”, making “baseless” allegations against women MPs of the Opposition parties and not allowing LoP Rahul Gandhi to put forth “critical issues” before the House.
“This resolution is not against a person and we are sad… to bring this resolution. Because personally, honourable Om Birla’s relationship is good with everyone… We are forced to bring this motion,” he said.
Gogoi said in February, when Gandhi stood up to speak during the discussion on the President’s address, he was interrupted 20 times. “They (interruptions) came from the Speaker, panel of chairpersons, senior members of Treasury Benches… Why? Because he wanted to say that when the Indian Army needed the leader of the country, the leader said the Army should do as it deems fit,” said Gogoi.
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra took a swipe at Union Minister Kiren Rijiju for quoting Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, saying those who criticise India’s first PM were now citing his remarks. “Today… They suddenly said that Nehru ji is the one who strengthened such a large democracy through a speech in this House,” she said.
Strongly defending LoP, she said: “Today, I laughed because there is a single person who, over the last 12 years, has not bowed down in front of them – and that is the Leader of Opposition. And, because that Leader of Opposition tells the truth in this House, they cannot digest it.”
Congress MP Manish Tewari argued that the motion was aimed at protecting parliamentary institutions rather than targeting an individual. Quoting Article 105, he said the Constitution granted MPs freedom of expression within the House, subject to rules and procedures meant to maintain decorum. “The rules cannot be used to trample upon the freedom granted to members,” he said.
Story continues below this ad
Recalling the tenure of the late Sushma Swaraj as LoP, Tewari said if she signalled a desire to speak, the Chair would allow her even if a minister was speaking. “But today if you say something that the government does not like then your mic is switched off,” he said.
Tewari also rejected suggestions that women MPs of the Opposition had deliberately tried to create disruptions. “The chair owes an apology to those women MPs,” he said.
Congress MP S Jothimani said the Opposition was repeatedly prevented from raising issues of public importance. “The credibility of democracy is not measured by how comfortably the government speaks, but how freely the Opposition is allowed to question,” she said.
She said the remarks made by the Speaker suggesting that women MPs had attempted to endanger the PM were “baseless and profoundly unjust”. “We have reached here through hard work, facing discrimination. To question our integrity is an insult to all women who have made it to public life,” she said.
Story continues below this ad
SP MP Rajeev Rai accused the NDA government of having “snatched away the rights of the Speaker”. “Why have you put the Speaker under so much pressure, why have you made them so weak? You are responsible for weakening the institution of the Speaker…,” he said.
TMC MP Mahua Moitra alleged that Birla had “perfected the art of switching off the mic” of Opposition MPs. “It has become a joke among us Opposition members that when we stand up we are cut off in 30 seconds,” she said.
“The government has made a circus of Parliamentary democracy and if the Speaker is going to concede to being a complicit ringmaster, it is a very sad day for Indian democracy,” she said.
