Om Birla re-elected Speaker, his words on Emergency trigger Congress protest

Tribune News Service

Aditi Tandon

New Delhi, June 26

The very first working day of the 18th Lok Sabha saw protests and sloganeering by Congress MPs after the ruling NDA’s Om Birla, who won the Speaker’s election, in his maiden move as the presiding officer piloted a resolution condemning the 1975 Emergency.

• Editorial: Rahul as LoP

“That this House strongly condemns the decision to impose the Emergency in 1975 and lauds the resolve of those who resisted it... June 25, 1975 will be remembered in Indian history as a black chapter. On this day, then PM Indira Gandhi imposed the emergency, dealing a severe blow to the Constitution drafted by Dr BR Ambedkar. In a country known as the Mother of Democracy, Indira Gandhi unleashed dictatorship and took decisions to concentrate powers in one person,” stated the resolution, which the House adopted amid “tanashahi nahi chalegi” slogans by Congress MPs, who protested in aisles, but stopped short of storming the well.

The Speaker asked everyone to observe a two-minute silence soon thereafter, which caught the Opposition off guard, with all MPs, including those of INDIA bloc members TMC, Samajwadi Party, NCP Sharadchandra Pawar and Shiv Sena UBT, seen standing in seats to pay respects to the victims of Emergency. Congress MPs in aisles emerged lone protesters as the Opposition looked divided in its response to an unexpected resolution.

Rahul Gandhi, the newly anointed Leader of Opposition, remained seated throughout when the silence was being observed and even when his colleagues protested in aisles.

The resolution, which PM Narendra Modi and top ministers Rajnath Singh and Amit Shah later welcomed, attacked late Indira Gandhi for “crushing democratic values, muzzling freedoms, converting the country into a jail and compromising judicial independence” and came at a time when the Congress has made “saving the Constitution” its principal political slogan.

“That era of Emergency was a black chapter of ‘anyay kaal’ in our history,’ said Om Birla, Speaker in the 17th Lok Sabha, who was re-elected to the post by a voice vote today after the Opposition decided against pressing for division on the matter.

Out of 16 motions for election to the office of the Speaker, 13 were for Birla and three for INDIA candidate K Suresh of the Congress.

Birla was elected after the principal motion moved by PM Modi and seconded by Deputy Leader of Lok Sabha Rajnath Singh was put to voice vote and carried, making the BJP’s three-term Kota MP only the second leader after Congress’ Balram Jakhar to be re-elected as Speaker.

All NDA allies featured among 13 leaders who moved motions backing Birla. Suresh’s motion was moved by Shiv Sena UBT’s Arvind Sawant, NCP Sharadchandra Pawar’s Supriya Sule and Samajwadi Party’s Anand Bhadauria. The TMC, upset over lack of consultations on the issue, didn’t bring a motion favouring Suresh.

While ruling leaders said the Opposition skipped the division to avoid getting exposed for disunity and lack of numbers, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said INDIA allies only wanted to make a point by fielding Suresh. “Today we took the constructive step of not asking for a division and expressing collegiality,” he said.

The House earlier had a fleeting glimpse of bonhomie between the Opposition and BJP top brass when PM Modi and Rahul shook hands before escorting Birla to his chair. The Speaker, after being flagged for mass suspensions of opposition MPs during the 17th Lok Sabha which he chaired, assured fair opportunity to all but struck a cautionary note.

“This House is meant for discussion, not disruption... I don’t want to act against anyone, but honorable MPs should remember that the Lok Sabha is for debate and not for stalemates,” Birla said in his acceptance speech. The House was later adjourned following protest over the resolution.

He justified the resolution on June 26 saying though the Emergency was imposed on June 25, 1975, it was ratified post facto by the then Cabinet on June 26. After the Speaker was elected, the PM also introduced his Council of Ministers to the Lok Sabha.

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