The Lok Sabha on Tuesday took up the resolution to remove the Lok Sabha Speaker, Om Birla. The Opposition moved the resolution accusing the neutrality of the Chair. The discussion took place on Wednesday, where the resolution was defeated by voice vote amid loud sloganeering and protests in the House. The House will reconvene tomorrow at 11 am. Union Home Minister Amit Shah defended Om Birla and said, “According to the established history of this House, its proceedings are conducted based on mutual trust. The Speaker serves as a neutral custodian, representing both the ruling party and the opposition. It is unfortunate for parliamentary politics that a resolution for the removal of the Speaker has come.” He described the resolution as a deeply regrettable step in parliamentary politics.
The ruling party BJP has spent long years in opposition but has never initiated a no-confidence motion against the Speaker. Shah said that, parliament should function as per the established procedures and not political demands. Union Home Minister also said that to oppose the ruling party, the Opposition is raising questions on Speaker. Opposition members said that they were not given chance to speak adequately in the Parliament and described that there was shrinking space for dissent in the Parliament. Union Home Minister Amit Shah pointed out that the motion for the removal of the Speaker has been introduced only three times in India’s parliamentary history and neither the BJP nor the NDA had ever moved such a resolution.
