New Delhi: Following the fracas that took place in Parliament last week, opposition MPs are likely to move a resolution to remove Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla alleging that he made defamatory allegations against them after the cancellation of PM Narendra Modi’s speech.
It all started after members of the Lok Sabha were asked to speak on the President’s Speech at the start of the budget session of Parliament. Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi chose to read out from a magazine article, which is an excerpt from former Army chief Gen M M Naravane’s unpublished memoirs.
Birla refused to allow him to do so, saying
that it has nothing to do with the President’s speech. Disruptions took place over the next two days, with the House getting adjourned and eight opposition members suspended.
Prime Minister Modi, who was to reply to the President’s speech, did not speak in the Lok Sabha. When opposition members raised this issue, Birla said that he had advised the PM to not come to the House based on ‘information opposition MPs could do something unexpected’ to target the PM’, as reported by India Today.
After proceedings started on Monday, it came to be known that the opposition is likely to submit the resolution to the Lok Sabha Secretary General.
According to rules, the Speaker or Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha may be removed from office by a resolution passed by a majority of all the then members of the House, provided that at least 14 days’ prior notice of the intention to move the resolution is given.
Opposition MPs, mainly from Congress, have sought action against Birla, alleging that he made defamatory allegations against them.