Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla denies 'bias', says 'gave equal opportunity to govt, Oppn' after no-trust motion defeated

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.

A day after the no-confidence motion moved by the Opposition was defeated by a voice vote, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday denied allegations of 'bias' and said that he "gave equal opportunities to the government and the Opposition" in the House.

Further rejecting the allegation that the Leader of Oppostion in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, was gagged, Om Birla said, "During the discussion, some honourable members from the opposition raised the issue that the microphones were switched off by the Chair. I have already clarified this earlier as well. The Chair never has a button to switch the microphones on or off. Members of the opposition can also verify this themselves. When opposition members act as the presiding officer, they are also fully aware of this fact. The microphone is switched on only for the honourable member who has been permitted to speak. Only that member’s microphone is activated."

"I have always tried to give every speaker fair opportunities to speak in accordance with the rules of the House," he added.

"Some honourable members were also of the opinion that the Leader of the Opposition stands above the House and can speak on any subject. However, no one has any special privilege of that kind. I want to make it clear that the House functions according to its rules. The Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of the House have been made by the House itself, not by the government and not by the opposition. These rules have been inherited by me, and in this House, the rules apply equally to all members," Om Birla said.

No-confidence motion defeated

A heated debate unfolded in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday as Union Home Minister Amit Shah sharply attacked the Opposition during the debate on a resolution seeking the removal of Speaker Om Birla, accusing them of undermining parliamentary traditions and spreading misinformation about the functioning of the House.

Replying to the two-day debate on the motion moved by Congress MP Mohammad Jawed, Shah said bringing such a resolution against the Speaker was "unfortunate" for parliamentary politics and stressed that members must follow the rules of the House.

"This is not ordinary. After about four decades, a No-Confidence Motion against the Lok Sabha Speaker has been brought. It is unfortunate for Parliamentary politics and this House," Shah said.

During his speech, Shah also targeted Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of complaining about not being allowed to speak while often being absent from the House. Referring to Gandhi's foreign trips, Shah said, "LoP says he is not allowed to speak. But when it is a chance to speak, you are seen in Germany, in England. Then he complains."

Meanwhile, the Opposition strongly objected to Shah's remarks about Rahul Gandhi, leading to protests and sloganeering in the House. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, speaking after the session, said the Home Minister should have confined his remarks to the motion against the Speaker.

"The no-confidence motion was against the Speaker, not Rahul ji. He should have spoken on that issue. He used an unparliamentary word in Parliament today, but the Chair did not object to it," she told reporters.

Despite the sharp exchanges and protests, the House rejected the resolution against Birla.