Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju has accused several Congress Members of Parliament (MPs) of entering the chamber of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and using abusive language against him. Rijiju stated that approximately 20 to 25 Congress MPs stormed into the Speaker’s office, creating a situation that he described as highly inappropriate.

He added that he was a witness to the incident and emphasized that the Speaker, known for his gentle demeanor, could have taken stricter measures if necessary. Prominent Congress leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and KC Venugopal, were allegedly present at the time and purportedly incited the MPs to engage in the confrontation.

Disregard for Parliamentary Procedures

Rijiju asserted that the actions of the Congress MPs not only amounted to misconduct but also represented a clear disregard for established parliamentary procedures. He noted that despite the Speaker’s ruling, which was disregarded by the opposition, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi declared his intent to speak without formal permission, thereby bypassing the established protocol.

He stressed that all members, including the Prime Minister, are required to seek the Speaker’s approval before addressing the House. Rijiju reiterated that parliamentary decorum mandates that discussions occur with the Chair’s consent.

Ongoing Tensions in Parliament

These accusations emerge amidst heightened tensions between the government and the opposition within Parliament. Opposition parties, led by Congress, lodged a formal request on Tuesday for the removal of Om Birla from his position as Speaker, labeling him as “blatantly partisan” and requesting his withdrawal from presiding over sessions until the matter is resolved.

Furthermore, Birla has faced allegations from opposition leaders regarding misleading statements concerning Congress MPs, following his remarks about recent “unexpected actions” in the Lok Sabha which led him to request that Prime Minister Narendra Modi refrain from attending the House for the Motion of Thanks in response to the President’s Address.

BJP Denounces Opposition’s Actions

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in response, has condemned the opposition’s motion against Speaker Birla, calling it an attempt to weaken parliamentary institutions. On the same day, Rijiju mentioned that the mood in the Lok Sabha could have turned more volatile had BJP MPs confronted their Congress counterparts during the Prime Minister’s anticipated response on the matter.

He released video evidence from the proceedings on February 4, showing moments when opposition women MPs approached the treasury benches amid heated discussions. Rijiju questioned the appropriateness of such behavior and accused the opposition of unprecedented disruption of parliamentary business.

Continuous Disruptions Amidst Unfolding Events

Parliament has experienced ongoing disruptions since February 2, when Rahul Gandhi was prohibited from citing sections from an unpublished memoir by former Army Chief M M Naravane. The situation escalated on February 4 as opposition protests prevented the Prime Minister from delivering his response to the Motion of Thanks.

In an unusual occurrence, the Motion of Thanks was ultimately passed on February 5 without the customary reply from the Prime Minister, as the Speaker read the motion and it was approved amid persistent sloganeering from Congress MPs.

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