The Lok Sabha witnessed heated exchanges during the ongoing Budget Session on Tuesday after a resolution seeking the removal of Speaker Om Birla was admitted for discussion.
More than 50 Members of Parliament supported the motion, meeting the minimum requirement needed for it to be taken up in the House. A total of 10 hours have been allocated for the debate on the proposal.
The session saw sharp remarks and counter-attacks between leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the Opposition led by the Indian National Congress.
Rijiju Takes Swipe at Rahul Gandhi
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju strongly criticized Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi during the debate.
Taking a jibe at the Congress leader, Rijiju said he had never seen a Leader of Opposition behave in the manner Gandhi did.
“The Prime Minister is sitting here. I have seen this for the first time—someone running to hug the Prime Minister. Have you ever seen a Leader of Opposition do that?” Rijiju said, referring to an earlier incident involving Narendra Modi.
Rijiju also rejected Opposition claims that their leaders were not allowed to speak in the House, saying no member can speak without the Speaker’s permission.
He added that the Opposition frequently accuses the Chair unfairly while failing to follow parliamentary procedures.
Opposition Accuses Government of Suppressing Voices
Opposition members alleged that microphones were turned off while they were speaking in the House. Responding to these accusations, Panchayati Raj Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh warned that microphones could indeed be switched off if members spoke irresponsibly.
“The Parliament will not function according to your wishes,” Singh said during the debate.
Earlier, Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi claimed that Rahul Gandhi was interrupted multiple times during his speech and that the microphone of Shashi Tharoor had been turned off.
Priyanka Gandhi Responds to Rijiju’s Remarks
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi responded to Rijiju’s criticism during the debate.
She clarified that she had laughed during the proceedings because members of the ruling alliance suddenly began praising India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, whom they had frequently criticised in the past.
“I was laughing because the NDA has suddenly started respecting Nehru after criticising him day and night,” she said.
Priyanka Gandhi also commented on the country’s natural gas supply issues, saying previous warnings by Rahul Gandhi on the issue had proven accurate.
Sudha Murthy Highlights Rural Development
Meanwhile, Sudha Murty, a member of the Rajya Sabha, spoke about the importance of building a circular economy in rural India.
She emphasized that strengthening villages would ultimately drive development across districts, states, and the country as a whole.
BJP Defends Speaker Om Birla
BJP leaders strongly defended Speaker Om Birla’s performance. Party MP Aparajita Sarangi said Birla had conducted parliamentary proceedings with patience and efficiency.
She noted that the 17th Lok Sabha recorded productivity levels close to 97%, with several sessions reaching nearly full productivity.
According to Sarangi, the Speaker’s tenure also saw major progress in digitalising parliamentary operations and passing key legislation.
Protests and Political Showdown Continue
The day began with Opposition MPs staging protests near the Parliament House, while members of the Samajwadi Party held a symbolic “potato protest” highlighting agricultural concerns.
With hours of debate still remaining, the motion against Speaker Om Birla has turned the Budget Session into a major political confrontation between the government and the Opposition.
