Congress Spurs No-Confidence Motion Against Lok Sabha Speaker Amid Allegations of Partisanship

The Congress party, on Tuesday, filed a no-confidence motion notice against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, as confirmed by Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi. At the heart of the complaint lies an accusation of 'blatantly partisan' behavior, with the opposition claiming their leaders have been repeatedly silenced in the House.

Sources reveal that 118 MPs signed the motion, listing four specific grievances. Among the grievances was the Speaker's alleged refusal to allow Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi to address the House during the discussion on the President's Address. Gandhi had hoped to draw on General MM Naravane’s unpublished memoir to highlight the 2020 standoff with China. Other cited incidents involved the suspension of eight MPs and concerns over BJP MP Nishikant Dubey's personal attacks on former Prime Ministers. There's also Speaker Birla's controversial decision to request Prime Minister Narendra Modi avoid the House amid tensions with Congress MPs.

Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress has urged the Congress to formally appeal to Speaker Birla before advancing the motion. TMC's Abhishek Banerjee stated that the party would endorse the motion if no remedial action follows within a span of two to three days. Banerjee reiterated the imperative for impartial operations in the House and emphasized a desire for proceedings to be marked by transparency and fairness for all MPs across the political spectrum.