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Lok Sabha Speaker condemns Opposition uproar in Parliament, calls it ‘undignified’
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla criticised the conduct of the Opposition, and expressed concern over the message such behaviour sends to new parliamentarians.
Opposition parties continued their protest in the Parliament complex on Thursday and disrupted proceedings in both Houses during the ongoing Monsoon Session, demanding a discussion on the special intensive revision (SIR) of the Bihar electoral roll.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla criticised the conduct of the Opposition, and expressed concern over the message such behaviour sends to new parliamentarians.
“Is this what you’re teaching the next generation – sloganeering, placard-waving, desk-thumping? These weren’t the values your party once upheld. The nation is watching how the new MPs are being shaped,” Birla said, addressing the Opposition while gesturing towards senior Congress leader KC Venugopal.
Birla reiterated the importance of Question Hour as a vital tool for accountability, noting that many members have shared their frustration over not getting adequate time to raise their concerns.
“This is your time to question the government, which is accountable to the House. But your behaviour is not in line with the decorum expected here,” he said, adding that “crores of rupees” of public money are spent on the functioning of Parliament.
Despite the Speaker’s assurance that various issues would be taken up as per the procedure, several Opposition MPs moved adjournment notices demanding an immediate debate on the Bihar electoral roll revision.
However, Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee accused the ruling party of influencing constitutional bodies. “They’re not listening. This isn’t how democracy works. The Election Commission has become a political tool now, removing and appointing names based on the BJP’s preferences. They’re refusing to hold any discussion on our concerns in Parliament,” he told reporters outside the House.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party blamed the Opposition for deliberately stalling proceedings.
“Both the government and the Speaker are willing to discuss matters through the Business Advisory Committee and respond to any questions. Yet, the Opposition has been creating disturbances since Day 1. I even appealed to Rahul Gandhi, but it seems they’ve decided not to let the House function,” BJP MP Jagdambika Pal claimed.
