Opposition pulled up for heckling during PM Modi’s speech

The Prime Minister’s reply was marred by sloganeering and protests by a disruptive Opposition, leading to the adoption of a resolution condemning their conduct

The Prime Minister’s reply to the debate on the President’s address was marred by sloganeering and protests by a disruptive Opposition on Tuesday, leading to adoption of a resolution condemning their conduct in the very first session of the 18th Lok Sabha.

Opposition pulled up for heckling during PM Modi’s speech(ANI)

Throughout Modi’s speech, several Opposition MPs shouted slogans, clapped, and stormed the Well of the House, ignoring repeated warnings from Speaker Om Birla, who reminded them that their representatives -- including Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi -- were allowed to speak without constant heckling or interruptions.

As the PM started his speech, the Opposition initially demanded that a Manipur MP should be allowed to speak, but their protests soon veered into various issues -- from Manipur to NEET to “dictatorship” -- as some of them continuously chanted slogans from the Well even as most of the floor leaders sat silently in their seats.

The Prime Minister, at one point during his speech, requested the Speaker not to take the events of Monday and Tuesday lightly. “I know you have a soft nature. But we can’t protect the Constitution if we don’t take what happened on Monday and Tuesday seriously. It was an insult to the Constitution, to the House and the makers of Constitution. We can’t overlook them as childish thoughts. The intention is very serious,” he said.

After Modi’s speech ended and the House approved the President’s address without any amendments, defence minister Rajnath Singh moved a resolution condemning the Opposition’s behaviour. “When the Prime Minister addressed the House during the debate on the President’s speech, the way the Opposition continuously shredded parliamentary dignity, I propose that the entire House condemns this action,” Rajnath said.

Birla again slammed the Opposition MPs over the disruptions at this point. “I allowed all members to speak till late evening. I had given 90 minutes to LoP (Rahul Gandhi). But your behaviour is neither appropriate for parliamentary principles nor in sync with the democratic traditions of the country. The whole country has seen today that when the Leader of House, the PM was speaking, the LoP was asking leaders to come to the Well of the House. This is not according to Parliamentary traditions. I have given all the (Opposition) parties extra time,” the Speaker said.

The Union home minister then stood up and endorsed the defence minister’s resolution, urging that it be adopted. The proposal was then adopted by a voice vote.

“It is very rare that a resolution to condemn the Opposition has been taken up in the first session itself,” said a senior Lok Sabha official, who asked not to be named.

While the short session was marked with heightened tension between the Opposition and the government, a second senior Lok Sabha official said that “it was not a good sign as far as parliamentary decorum or precedent” is concerned”.