LS Passes Motion of Thanks to Prez Address Without PM's Speech
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla put the opposition amendments to the Motion of Thanks to vote, which were rejected
New Delhi: In an unprecedented development, the Lok Sabha on Thursday passed the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address without the customary reply by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, amid sustained protests by Opposition members.
The Prime Minister was not present in the House when Speaker Om Birla put the amendments moved by the Opposition to vote. All the amendments were rejected. The Speaker then read out the Motion of Thanks to the President for her address to both Houses of Parliament on January 28, which was adopted by a voice vote amid sloganeering.
As protests continued, the Speaker adjourned the proceedings till 2 pm.
Congress members entered the Well of the House carrying posters with the Prime Minister’s photograph and slogans reading “Narendra–Surrender”. Samajwadi Party members also protested in the Well, displaying banners and pamphlets against the demolition of structures at Manikarnika Ghat on the Ganga in Varanasi. The banners carried images of Rani Ahilyabai Holkar, who had developed the ghats nearly 300 years ago.
Trinamool Congress members joined the protest in the Well, while other INDIA bloc parties, including the DMK and Left parties, stood at their seats and in the aisles in solidarity.
Constitutional expert P.D.T. Achary described the passage of the Motion of Thanks without the Prime Minister’s reply as an “unprecedented development”. Achary, a former Lok Sabha Secretary General, recalled that in 2004, then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was present in the House but did not speak due to an understanding between the ruling party and the Opposition.
Quoting Singh’s remarks on June 10, 2004, Achary said the then Prime Minister had requested the Speaker to put the Motion of Thanks to vote directly, citing consensus among political parties for its unanimous passage.
