AITC MPs, directed by Mamata Banerjee, will support the Congress-led no-confidence motion against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who is accused of partisan conduct. Both BJP and Congress have issued whips for the upcoming budget session.
AITC to Support No-Confidence Motion Against Speaker
The All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) MPs will support the no-confidence motion against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in accordance with the direction of the party chairperson, Mamata Banerjee.
The development comes ahead of the second phase of the budget session, set to commence on March 9, where three Congress MPs are scheduled to move a resolution demanding the removal of Speaker Om Birla for disallowing Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders from speaking in the House.
Congress Accuses Speaker of Partisan Conduct
Congress MPs Mohammad Jawed, Kodikunnil Suresh, and Mallu Ravi have accused Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla of being partisan and of making "unwarranted allegations" against women MPs belonging to the opposition. They further pointed out that while opposition MPs have been suspended by Birla for the entire parliament session for raising issues concerning the public, the ruling party members have not been rebuked for making "derogatory" remarks against former Prime Ministers.
"Having taken into consideration the conduct of the Speaker of the House as regards disallowing the Leader of the Opposition and other Opposition leaders to speak, making unwarranted allegations against women MPs belonging to the Opposition, suspending Opposition MPs for an entire session for raising issues of public concern and not rebuking ruling party members for making wholly objectionable and derogatory remarks against former PMs, feels he has ceased to maintain an impartial attitude necessary to command the confidence of all sections of the House," the list of business for Lok Sabha read.
The Congress MPs also accused Birla of "openly espousing the version of the ruling party on all controversial matters," stating that such conduct constitutes a danger to the proper functioning of the Lok Sabha.
Parties Issue Whips, Previous Session Recalled
Meanwhile, both the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition Congress issued a 'three-line whip' to their Lok Sabha MPs, expecting their presence in the House from March 9 to 11.
During the first leg of the budget session, the Congress moved a no-confidence motion against Om Birla, after which the Lok Sabha Speaker announced that he would not preside over the chair on moral grounds until the motion was disposed of. This was followed by a massive uproar in the Parliament after Rahul Gandhi attempted to quote from an unpublished memoir of former Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane on the 2020 standoff with China in eastern Ladakh. Subsequently, eight opposition MPs were suspended for the remainder of the session for violating the rules of the lower house.
The first phase of the budget session witnessed constant adjournments due to massive uproars.
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