New Delhi: Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, in his fiery speech on Monday, pulled all punches in attacking the government and even went a step ahead to train guns on Speaker Om Birla, eliciting condemnation and angry protests from the Treasury benches.
Speaker Om Birla also did not hold back, when the Congress MP taunted him over ‘bowing down’ before the Prime Minister. The verbal exchanges between the duo grabbed headlines.
The BJP was quick enough to call out Congress’ ‘adventurism’ in the house and dug out an episode from the past to show how democracy and house proceedings were treated as ‘secondary’ to the then ruling party’s high command.
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala posted a 2012 incident on his X account and claimed that the chair ‘bowed’ before the then dispensation.
According to information shared by BJP spokesperson, Rajiv Shukla, the Parliamentary Affairs minister in UPA II advised the newly elected Rajya Sabha deputy chairman and Congress MP P.J. Kurien to adjourn the proceedings of the Upper House, because of repeated disruptions.
The whispers into Kurien’s ears got recorded in cameras and stirred a major controversy.
In Lok Sabha on Monday, Rahul Gandhi told Speaker Om Birla that he stood straight when shaking hands with him but bowed before Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on the day of his election to the post.
“I noticed something when you (Speaker Om Birla) shook my hand. When you shook my hand, you were standing upright. But when you shook PM Modi’s hand, you bowed down to him,” Rahul Gandhi said.
Opposition MPs cheered on Rahul’s statement but the Treasury benches protested.
Home Minister Amit Shah said the LoP was making baseless allegations against the chair.
Replying to Rahul’s charges, Om Birla said that the difference in his conduct with the LoP and PM Modi was because of his ‘sanskar and sanskriti’ and he will continue to uphold those values.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the leader of the House. My culture and upbringing tells me to bow down in front of the elders and treat those who are my age or junior to me as equals,” replied the LS Speaker.
(IANS)
