The Opposition’s attempt to remove Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla failed on Wednesday as the no-confidence motion against him was rejected by a voice vote amid loud protests by Congress members against Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s sharp attack on opposition leader Rahul Gandhi.
In his speech, Amit Shah criticized the opposition for moving the resolution and said the “unfortunate” move came for the first time in nearly four decades. He also alleged that Gandhi was frequently absent from the House, did not participate in key proceedings including discussions on the President’s speech and the Union Budget, and chose to travel abroad during the sessions.
He said: “The parliamentary party complained that he was not allowed to speak. It is not the ruling party or the Speaker of the House of Representatives that decided the term allocated to each president, but the party in question. But instead… he leaves the country and travels abroad.”
“On seats, the Om Birla Party gave the Congress six times more speaking time than the BJP. A no-confidence motion was moved against the Lok Sabha Speaker, yet the leader of the opposition, Rahul Gandhi himself, did not speak about it,” he added.
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Shah’s tirade against Gandhi and his use of an unparliamentary word led Congress MPs to protest and demand an apology even as Jagdambika Pal, who was presiding over the proceedings, assured that the word would be examined and deleted.
Shah said the BJP was in opposition longer than it was in power but it did not move or support any motion against the Speaker. “We have been in the opposition, and a motion of no confidence against the Speaker of the Lok Sabha has been moved three times, but the BJP and the NDA, while in opposition, have never moved a motion of no confidence against the Speaker of the Lok Sabha… We have worked to protect the dignity of the office of the Speaker and have also demanded that the Speaker protect our legal rights and our constitutional rights,” he said.
Shah was referring to the no-confidence motions against GV Mavalankar in 1954, Hukam Singh in 1966, and Balram Jakhar in 1987. Shah criticized the opposition parties and said that while the motions against Mavalankar and Singh were moved by the Socialists and the Samajwadi Party, the Communist Party of India moved the motion against Jakhar. “…Today all these parties are part of the Gamandi Gathbandhan Party…” he said, referring to the All India Bloc, which includes the opposition parties.
Shah said that questioning the intention behind the Parliament Speaker’s decision, which is binding on members, casts a shadow over democracy.
He said: “For 75 years, these two councils have deepened the foundations of our democracy, but today the opposition, in a way, has thrown a question mark over this credibility… The Council’s procedures are conducted on the basis of mutual trust and in accordance with the rules. The Speaker of the Council acts as a neutral guardian, representing both the ruling party and the opposition.”
The no-confidence motion was moved by Congress MP Mohammad Jawad against Birla for his alleged partisanship, not allowing the LoP to raise important issues related to the country’s security, and suspension of over 100 opposition MPs during the previous sessions.
But Shah denied all these allegations and said that issues should be raised within the laid down rules and that no member has the right to speak in a way that is not permitted by the House rules.
“The Lok Sabha has laid down specific rules to guide how the Speaker conducts the sessions. This House is not a marketplace; members are expected to speak and participate in accordance with its rules and procedures… The House operates on mutual trust. For both the ruling and opposition side, the Speakers act as guardians,” he said.
“he [Gandhi] Suddenly he had an idea — to hold a discussion at his own press conference. This is not a market. This is Lok Sabha. Topics for discussion are formally defined here. “From your great-grandfather to your grandmother to your father, there have been tall leaders in India, but the Lok Sabha did not hold any discussion in the press conference of anyone,” Shah added.
The Home Minister said that although disapproval of the Speaker’s decision can be expressed, under the Lok Sabha rules, the decisions of the Speaker are considered final.
“This House is the greatest Panchayat of Indian democracy, and not just in India but across the world, the reputation and dignity of our democracy has been established… But when questions are raised against the President of this Panchayat, against his loyalty, it raises doubts not only in the country but across the world about our democratic process,” he said.
Rejecting Congress claims that the Congress party had been silenced and not allowed to raise issues, Shah read out a list of foreign visits allegedly made by Gandhi during the sessions, and claimed that Gandhi’s participation in the proceedings was below the average for all members of Parliament.
Shah said: “Why is he (Gandhi) not speaking? The Speaker cannot stop him. He is giving the Lok Sabha a bad name. The party brought the resolution (against the Speaker)… but he did not even speak about it.” He added: “When the opportunity to speak comes, he goes on trips to Germany and England.”
Shah said the QP did not speak at all during the thanksgiving speech of the President, budget discussions, and on several key legislations including ban on instant triple talaq, reading of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, Citizenship Amendment Act and 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram.
“In the 17th Lok Sabha, its attendance was 51% while the national average was 66%. In the 16th Lok Sabha, its attendance was 52% while the national average was 80%, and in the 15th Lok Sabha, its attendance was 43% while the national average was 76%…” Shah said.
Shah also picked up criticism in the Congress and the opposition, pointing out how Birla had to twice ask them to correct anomalies in the resolution seeking his removal.
Earlier in the day, Gandhi said that he was prevented from speaking in the Lok Sabha on several occasions, adding that the House does not represent a single party but the entire country. He said: “…This Council is the expression of the people of India. This Council does not represent a single party… Every time we stand up to speak, we are stopped.” Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, who initiated the discussion, said the resolution against Birla was aimed at protecting parliamentary dignity and was not motivated by personal enmity.
