5 Feb : Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday informed the House that he had requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to attend the proceedings due to concerns about potential disorder.
Birla cited information that some Opposition MPs, particularly from the Congress, could create an inappropriate situation near the Prime Minister’s chair during the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address.
Speaking in the House, Birla said that the behaviour of a few MPs on Wednesday was unprecedented in Lok Sabha history. He emphasised that the Speaker’s office and the parliamentary chamber hold a position of respect, as enshrined in the Constitution, and that such actions were inappropriate for parliamentary functioning.
He described the conduct as a ‘black spot’ and stressed the need for all members to help maintain smooth parliamentary proceedings.
Due to the disruptions, Prime Minister Modi did not deliver the customary speech while the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address was adopted.
Opposition protests continued for the fourth consecutive day during the Budget Session, with some MPs storming the Well of the House carrying posters targeting the Prime Minister.
The Speaker adjourned the proceedings till 2:00 PM amid sloganeering.
Birla noted that had an inappropriate incident occurred, it could have severely damaged India’s democratic traditions. He drew parallels to 2004, when then Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh was similarly unable to respond to the Motion of Thanks due to Opposition disruptions.
The Speaker reaffirmed that his request to PM Modi was in line with his responsibility to uphold parliamentary decorum and protect the dignity of the House.
