Reportedly the
Lok Sabha Speaker
Om Birla on Thursday
5 February had advised Prime Minister Modi to avoid entering Parliament to reply to the debate on Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address. This was after ‘getting information’ that the Congress MPs could ‘indulge in an unforeseen act’.
Before the House was adjourned for the day, Om Birla said, “The country saw what happened in the House. Everyone were a witness to the MPs approach to the PM’s chair in the House.
Om Birla revealed that he received information that any mishap could have happened. To ensure that such a situation doesn’t rise, he conveyed to PM Modi not to come to the House,” adding that had any incident taken place, “it would have been unfortunate.”
Lashing out at Opposition members at Wednesday’s dramatic scenes, the Lok Sabha speaker said, “With sadness, he has to inform that some members displayed such behaviour in the House on that had never been witnessed in its history.”
In a first since 2004, Lok Sabha passes Motion of Thanks on President’s address without PM’s response
“Behaviour of some members in Lok Sabha on Wednesday unprecedented, ‘black spot’. All should cooperate in running the House smoothly,” he said, adding, “by agreeing not to come to Lok Sabha, the PM prevented unpleasant scenes; he thanks him.
Had an incident taken place, this would have left the democratic traditions of the country in shreds. To avoid this, he requested the PM not come to the House. As the Speaker, it was his responsibility to uphold the dignity of the House.
Om Birla said the dignity of the chair has been established in the Constitution.
“Never in history have political differences been dragged to the House. The conduct of the opposition members in the office of the Speaker was not appropriate, and in fact, it was like a black spot,” he said.
The speaker then adjourned the House amid Opposition slogans and protests.
News Edit KV Raman
