Pro tem Speaker choice: Opposition alleges bias against Dalit, Govt says it is as per norms

Accusing the government of being anti-Dalit, the Congress asked if Suresh was denied the post because he belongs to the Dalit community. The party was backed by INDIA bloc ally CPI(M), with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan alleging that “upper caste politics” may have played a role behind the decision.

Countering the Opposition attack, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said that “as per the Westminster system”, the MP who has the longest-serving “uninterrupted tenure” is chosen for the position.

Earlier in the day, Congress communication chief Jairam Ramesh said the move shows the “confrontational and bulldozer politics mindset” of the BJP. He asked whether Suresh was not given the position because he is a Dalit. “One more reason (for not giving the post to Suresh) that comes to mind is… that Narendra Modi is anti-Dalit. Suresh is a Dalit.”

In a statement, Kerala Chief Minister Vijayan said the appointment violated parliamentary norms. “The Union Government should make clear why Mavelikkara MP Kodikunnil Suresh (Congress) was neglected in the appointment despite him being the longest serving member of the House. Has BJP got an answer to those who suspect that Sangh Parivar’s upper caste politics had worked behind this decision,” he said.

By making the appointment, the BJP had shown an “arrogant disregard” towards parliamentary democratic norms and precedents, he said.

The Chief Minister also pointed out that the post of Deputy Speaker — which conventionally goes to the Opposition — had been deliberately kept vacant throughout the 17th Lok Sabha. “It shows that the BJP will not accept anyone in the Opposition. It can be seen only as a challenge to Indian democracy,” he said.

Other Congress leaders joined the chorus as well. Party MP Manickam Tagore said: “K Suresh is an eight-term Dalit MP and the BJP opted for a seven-term upper class MP against a Dalit even for a pro tem Speaker post. What does that show?”

Congress’s Jorhat MP Gaurav Gogoi in a post on X alleged that the Modi government was “denying the Dalit community in India a landmark opportunity to see a member of their community preside over the oath-taking of 543 MPs representing different religions, gender, caste and regions of India”.

“The decision to override the claims of K Suresh is not keeping with the spirit of multipartisanship required to run the House,” Congress MP Manish Tewari told The Indian Express. “The government needs to understand that the principal component does not have a majority in the Lok Sabha. If they feel that they can do what they did from 2014 to 2024, they will soon find out that they are sadly mistaken and it will be at their peril.”

Countering the charges, Rijiju said, “The concept of pro tem Speaker here is inspired by the Westminster system. As per the system, the longest serving member – usually the consecutive longest serving member – is called Father of the House there.” Mahtab, he said, “is a seven-time Lok Sabha member without any break”.

“At this time, if we leave out the ministers, he is the longest-serving member. They talked about K Suresh ji. His total terms are eight, but in 2004 and 1998 there were breaks. From 2009, he has had four consecutive terms… There is no violation. Only those will feel (that there is violation) who haven’t read the system or its rules,” said the minister.

He said that since pro tem Speaker is a temporary position, there was no need for the Congress to make it an issue. “First they tweeted and then tried to make it a nationwide campaign. First of all, pro tem Speaker is a temporary, two-day post meant for the oath-taking of members. On the third day, the new Speaker is elected. No business transaction is done during those two days.”

Amid the political slugfest, Suresh said that being the senior-most Lok Sabha member, he ought to have been made the pro tem Speaker as per conventions. “This decision amounts to threatening parliamentary democracy in the country,” he told reporters.