‘Deeply shocking, travesty of parliamentary traditions’: Congress on Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla’s Emergency reference

“I am writing this in the context of a very grave matter impacting upon the very credibility of institution of Parliament. Yesterday that is 26 June 2024, at the time of offering felicitations on your election as Speaker Lok Sabha, there was a general camaraderie in the House as such occasions generate,” he said in the letter.

“However, what followed thereafter, which is reference from the Chair after your acceptance speech, in regard to declaration of Emergency half a century ago, is deeply shocking. Making of such a political reference from the Chair is unprecedented in the annals of history of Parliament. This coming from the Chair as one of the ‘first duties’ from a newly elected Speaker assumes even graver proportions. I, on behalf of Indian National Congress, express our profound concern and anguish over this travesty of Parliamentary traditions,” he said.

On Wednesday, soon after Birla took charge as the Speaker, he read out a resolution condemning the imposition of Emergency on the night of June 25-26, 1975, calling out the Congress and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi for its atrocities.