Lok Sabha Takes Up Resolution to Remove Speaker Om Birla
Congress legislator Mohammad Jawed read out the notice seeking to move the resolution to remove Birla from office. Besides Jawed, the resolution was also moved by MPs K Suresh and Mallu Ravi
New Delhi: The Lok Sabha on Tuesday took up the Opposition’s resolution seeking the removal of Speaker Om Birla from office for his alleged bias towards the ruling party. All along the debate, the Opposition termed Mr Birla a “gentleman” who takes “harsh steps under pressure” and underlined that this resolution was not against Om Birla the person, but his role as the Speaker. It said the resolution was brought to "save the Constitution" and the "dignity of the House" and minced no words in flagging the incidents that showed him in poor light.
In fact, Trinamool Congress MP Mohua Moitra termed it a “divine karma” that she, who was wrongly expelled by an ethics committee in 2023, was opening the debate for her party. She accused the Speaker of violating every principle of natural justice and not allowing her to defend herself. “Today I am opening the debate for my party in a motion of no confidence against that very Speaker.” Quoting former UK parliamentarian Oliver Cromwell, Mrs Moitra roared, “You have sat too long for any good you have been doing lately… Depart, I say. In the name of God, go!”
The resolution was taken up amid a heated debate on who should preside over the House while the motion is being taken up. The Opposition said that on previous occasions when a no confidence motion was taken up against the Speakers, the deputy speaker presided over the proceeding but under the current regime this vacancy has been lying vacant.
When Congress MP Dr Mohammad Jawed moved the resolution to remove the Speaker, BJP MP Jagadambika Pal on Chair asked Opposition MPs supporting the motion to stand up. Since the number was more than the required 50, the resolution was accepted and the discussion began. A total of ten hours have been slotted for the discussion to be followed by voting. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is expected to reply to the no confidence motion on Wednesday. The Opposition would need to secure a minimum of 272 votes in the House of 543. The NDA in Lok Sabha has 293 MPs and the Opposition 238.
Initiating the discussion Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi said the Opposition was compelled to bring this resolution following Mr Birla’s "partisan behaviour" and that Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi was prevented by the Speaker when he tried to speak about former Army chief Gen (Rtd) M.M. Naravane's remarks in his unreleased book. Co-incidentally, Mr Gogoi too was time and again interrupted by Mr Pal saying he was digressing from the main issue.
"There was an expectation that the chair would be neutral. But research of uncorrected versions would show the number of times the LoP was interrupted. While the LoP was on his feet, another member was called upon (to speak). Is this Parliamentary tradition we want to show? Microphones are being used to silence MPs. It stands in direct contradiction with the rituals of this House," he said. He said all members have good relations with Birla on a personal level, and that is why the opposition members are saddened that they had to bring the resolution.
Defending the Speaker, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said Mr Birla always remained impartial and gave more opportunities to Opposition to express their views in the House. The minister quoted former prime ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Rajiv Gandhi to reiterate that the decision of the Speaker is final on matters in the Lok Sabha and should be accepted by all. The minister claimed that 50 opposition members told him personally that they were not happy with the resolution against Birla but had to support it because of political compulsion.
Mr Rijiju also took a dig at Mr Rahul Gandhi, claiming he has shown immaturity in his conduct, often skipping the proceedings to go abroad and leaving after his speech, disregarding the rules of the House. The minister went on to say that Congress member Priyanka Gandhi Vadra could be a better Leader of Opposition than Rahul Gandhi.
"Priyanka Gandhi is sitting there and is laughing. If they had made her the LoP, the performance would have been better. At least she sits in the House, listens, and also smiles," he said.
Responding to Rijiju, Priyanka Gandhi said, "…I was laughing because the same Nehruji whom they keep criticising day and night, is now being quoted for their own argument. They have suddenly started respecting Nehru ji and that he strengthened democracy."
Mrs Moitra said the current Speaker has set "less than graceful benchmarks" while presiding over the House. "It is all that democracy should not be. In December 2023, Birla ji ordered the largest mass suspension in the history of Indian Parliament, suspending 100 opposition MPs. This one episode alone accounted for over 40 per cent of all Lok Sabha suspensions since 2004," she claimed.
JD-U leader and Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh said the no-confidence motion was nothing but an attempt to keep the Speaker under pressure.
