New Delhi, February 10: The political landscape in the Lok Sabha took a dramatic turn on Tuesday as the opposition parties submitted a no-confidence motion against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birlato remove him from office. The move follows growing dissatisfaction over Birla’s conduct during the ongoing parliamentary session, particularly regarding the disallowance of prominent opposition figures, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, from speaking on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address.
The issue has sparked a fierce debate among lawmakers, with the opposition accusing the Speaker of acting in a biased manner and curtailing the democratic rights of MPs. Birla’s decision to prevent opposition leaders from addressing the House has been a bone of contention, particularly in the aftermath of the President's speech, where key figures from the opposition had hoped to voice their concerns on a range of political issues.
The resolution notice was submitted to the Lok Sabha secretariat by Congress MP and Chief Whip, K. Suresh, on behalf of a coalition of opposition parties, including the Congress, Samajwadi Party, and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). This move reflects the growing rift between the ruling government and opposition factions over parliamentary procedures and the Speaker’s impartiality.
However, not all opposition parties have aligned with this initiative. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs notably refrained from signing the resolution notice and chose not to be part of the collective effort to remove Birla from office. This lack of unanimity within the opposition highlights the complexities of opposition unity in Parliament, especially when it comes to challenging a high-ranking official like the Speaker.
As of now, approximately 120 MPs from various opposition parties, including the Congress, DMK, and Samajwadi Party, have signed the notice, signaling their intent to hold Speaker Om Birla accountable for what they describe as an undemocratic approach to parliamentary proceedings. This marks a significant development in the ongoing political turmoil, as the opposition seeks to challenge the Speaker’s decisions and, by extension, the House's functioning under his leadership.
The submission of this notice comes on the heels of the suspension of eight opposition MPs, which has further fueled the criticism of the Speaker’s conduct. The suspended MPs have been accused of disrupting the House, but the opposition parties contend that their actions resulted from the Speaker’s biased rulings and the suppression of their right to speak on matters of national importance.
This move to remove the Speaker is expected to dominate political discourse in the coming days, with both the government and opposition gearing up for what could be a contentious debate in Parliament. The Speaker’s position is pivotal in maintaining the decorum and balance of the House, and the outcome of this resolution will have lasting implications on the functioning of the Lok Sabha.
The political battle over Speaker Birla’s tenure is likely to escalate, as opposition leaders call for his removal, while the ruling party defends his impartiality. As the resolution notice circulates among MPs, it remains to be seen how this will unfold in the coming sessions and whether the opposition can gather the necessary support to oust the Speaker from office.
an gather the necessary support to oust the Speaker from office.
