New Delhi: Opposition parties are preparing to bring a no confidence motion against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, according to sources, in a sign of the growing confrontation between the government and the opposition benches. The proposed move follows a turbulent week in Parliament that saw repeated adjournments and the cancellation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled address.
Tensions escalated last Thursday when the Lok Sabha was adjourned early amid loud protests. The Speaker later said he had received information that some opposition members could attempt unexpected actions targeting the Prime Minister. The remark triggered a fresh political storm after a few women MPs gathered near the Prime Minister’s seat, holding placards to express their dissent while he was not present in the House.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi dismissed the allegation as completely false and accused the Prime Minister of taking shelter behind the Speaker. She insisted there was no plan to harm or intimidate the Prime Minister and termed the claims politically motivated.
Sources indicated that the opposition’s motion would focus on three main complaints against Birla. The first relates to his refusal to allow Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi to read portions from an unpublished book written by former Army chief General M M Naravane regarding the India China border standoff in Ladakh. Gandhi later offered to take personal responsibility for the accuracy of the content but permission was still denied.
The second issue concerns BJP member Nishikant Dubey being allowed to quote from books that criticised the Congress and the Gandhi family despite earlier rulings against such references. The opposition has questioned why no action was taken when Dubey ignored instructions from the Chair to stop.
The confrontation led to the suspension of eight Congress MPs for the remainder of the session after they protested inside the House. The suspended members later staged a demonstration outside Parliament carrying placards stating that their voices could not be silenced.
Government leaders have defended the Speaker, saying he acted responsibly to maintain decorum. BJP representatives accused the opposition of becoming increasingly aggressive and of insulting parliamentary democracy through their behaviour.
The planned motion is expected to further deepen the stalemate between the two sides as the Budget Session continues under a cloud of acrimony.
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