Speaker Om Birla says PM Modi was advised to skip House over ‘unexpected act’ fears

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday (February 5) said he had specific inputs that some Congress MPs might carry out an “unexpected act” by approaching the prime minister’s seat, prompting him to advise Narendra Modi against coming to the House to deliver his address.

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If this incident had taken place, then this would have left the democratic traditions of the country in shreds, Birla said as the House reassembled at 3 pm. Lashing out at Opposition members, the Speaker said the conduct of some of them in his office on Wednesday was not appropriate and in fact was “like a black spot”.

Unprecedented scenes in House

“With sadness I have to inform that some members displayed such behaviour in the House on Wednesday that had never been witnessed in its history,” he said.

The Lok Sabha on Wednesday witnessed dramatic scenes as women opposition MPs charged towards the prime minister's seat holding banners ahead of his scheduled speech, leading to adjournment of proceedings for the day.

Modi was not present in the House, and BJP MP PP Chaudhary was making his remarks on the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address when the Opposition members trooped into the Well of the House.

Birla said the dignity of the chair has been established in the Constitution. “Never in history have political differences been dragged to the House. The conduct of the Opposition members in the office of the Speaker was not appropriate and in fact it was like a black spot,” he said.

Speaker cites security inputs

“When the Leader of the House was to reply (to the debate on the motion of thanks on the President's address), I had concrete information that many members of the Congress party could carry out an unexpected act by reaching the spot where the prime minister sits,” he said.

“If this incident had taken place, this would have left the democratic traditions of the country in shreds. To avoid this, I requested the PM to not come to the House and as the Speaker it was my responsibility to uphold the dignity of the House,” Birla said.

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The Speaker thanked Modi for acceding to his request and avoiding unpleasant scenes in the Lok Sabha by not coming to the House on Wednesday. Birla later adjourned the House for the day as Opposition members raised slogans and protested.

Plan to attack treasury benches?

Meanwhile, Union Minister Giriraj Singh also alleged that the Opposition members had a plan to attack the members of the treasury benches in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters in the Parliament House complex on Thursday, Singh said, “As soon as it struck 5 o'clock, they came in. For the first time, it was seen that members of the Opposition were standing in front of the treasury benches. So that was indeed the method to attack, nothing else. They kept it (plan) ready in advance,” the senior BJP leader said, as he slammed the Opposition accusing it of holding the Lok Sabha “hostage” for four days.

(With agency inputs)