I was silenced: Rahul; Opposition motion against Speaker unfounded, provocative: Prasad

He also cited constitutional provisions to counter the Opposition’s claim that the panel of chairpersons cannot run the House when the resolution seeking Speaker’s removal is being discussed. “The problem is that they (Opposition) won’t understand,” he said, which led to protest from the Opposition benches.

Congress MP K C Venugopal raised a point of order and demanded that Gandhi be allowed to respond, which was allowed by Dilip Saikia, who was in the Chair.

Gandhi said he was stopped from speaking in the House on multiple occasions. “This House is the expression of the People of India. This House is not represented by one party.”

“Every time we get up to speak, we are stopped from speaking. The last time I spoke, I raised fundamental questions about the compromises that have been made by our Prime Minister (Narendra Modi). Multiple times I have been stopped from speaking. Just a few days ago, during a debate, for the first time in India’s history, the LoP was not allowed to speak… Last time, I had raised the issue of the PM being compromised. I raised the issue of Mr (M M) Naravane. I raised the issue of Epstein and I raised the issue of Adani. I was silenced… Our PM has been compromised. Everyone knows…,” Gandhi said.

Prasad responded, saying, “I would like to gently remind the Leader of Opposition that PM Narendra Modi can never be compromised.”

“An unfounded, sponsored, provocative resolution has been brought, we completely oppose it,” he said. Targeting Gandhi, Prasad said he had travelled to various countries where he “mocked” Parliament, the Constitution and the Election Commission.

Venugopal said Birla claimed to have “concrete information” suggesting that some Congress MPs might carry out an “unexpected act” by approaching the spot where Modi sits.

“This was a very defamatory and most irresponsible statement,” Venugopal said, following which Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju warned him to be cautious since Birla was not present to defend himself.

“Nearly 25-30 MPs went to the Speaker’s chamber. I have never witnessed such misbehaviour from MPs in front of a Speaker in my long career in Parliament,” Rijiju said, adding, “If the CCTV footage is released, the whole world would be ashamed of the behaviour of your MPs.”

Venugopal termed the Speaker’s explanation for the PM’s absence during the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address a “government-created escape route”.

Venugopal claimed that the Modi government had “completely surrendered” before America, the country’s economic integrity was “compromised”, and economic sovereignty was “surrendered”.

“Personally, Om Birla may be ok. But his hands are tied. Every time something happens, the home minister jumps into his room,” he said.

TMC MP Saayoni Ghosh, too, said she had nothing personal against Birla, but “this is a question of impartiality and dignity. There is hardly any democracy left in Parliament. Our opinions are thrashed.”

“The Railway budget has been done away, Bills are being brought at midnight… Rahul Gandhi, Abhishek Banerjee and Akhilesh Yadav are not allowed to quote any book, but their ‘blue-eyed’ boy is allowed,” she claimed.

IUML MP E T Mohammed Basheer said the Opposition is in a “very difficult situation” as the freedom of speech of the MPs has been “denied” while many MPs have been suspended, which is “condemnable”.

BJP’s Anurag Thakur accused Gandhi of being a “Leader of Propaganda” who was tarnishing the image of institutions and “speaks more outside the House than inside”.