Om Birla urges for “dignified discussions” in House after being re-elected as Lok Sabha speaker

Speaking on occasion, Birla urged that there should be a new vision and resolve for the 18th Lok Sabha. He called for the 18th Lok Sabha to be a centre of creative thinking and new ideas, which would establish high levels of parliamentary traditions and dignity and added that the aim of the House should be to fulfil the resolve of Viksit Bharat.
Birla thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, leaders of parties in the House and Members of Parliament for their support.
Expressing happiness over the presence of 281 first-time MPs in the 18th Lok Sabha, Birla welcomed them in the House and expressed hope that the Members elected for the first time will make a deep study of the rules and traditions of the House, and take advantage of the experiences and guidance of their senior colleagues to enrich the best parliamentary traditions.
Speaking about the functioning of the House, Birla said that in a democracy, Members of Parliament are elected from diverse backgrounds and ideologies, and there may be ideological opposition, but discussions in the House must be dignified. He added that there should be positive criticism of the government’s policies and decisions, but there should be no pre-planned disruption of House proceedings. There must be a difference between a protest in Parliament and a protest on the streets. Birla said that the conduct of Members in Parliament should be courteous and meaningful dialogue should take place in a healthy environment. He added that to run the House, the consent of all parties and the cooperation of all are necessary.
On the occasion of the completion of 50 years of Emergency imposed on June 26, 1975, the speaker praised the strength and determination of all those who strongly opposed the Emergency, fought and protected India’s democracy.
Describing the day of June 25, 1975, as a dark chapter in the history of India, Birla said that on this day, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi imposed an emergency in the country and launched a fierce attack on the Constitution written by Baba Saheb. Birla said that India is recognised around the world as the mother of democracy, where democratic values have always been encouraged.
He added that a dictatorship was imposed on India by Indira Gandhi when India’s democratic values were forgotten and freedom of expression was stifled. He further said that during the Emergency, the rights of the citizens were destroyed and their freedoms were taken away. This was the period when opposition leaders were jailed and the entire country was turned into a jail.
Birla further said that at that time, the dictatorial government had imposed many restrictions on the media and also curbed the independence of the judiciary. That time of Emergency was a period of injustice in the history of our country.
He said that after the imposition of the Emergency, the Congress government of that time took many such decisions, which crushed the spirit of the Constitution. Referring to several decisions taken at that time, Birla said that all those decisions aimed to vest all the powers of the state with one person.
Birla added that during the Emergency, the then government tried to destroy the basic principles of the Constitution by establishing control over the judiciary. He described the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s concepts of committed bureaucracy and committed judiciary as anti-democratic attitudes.
Birla said that during the Emergency, the then government destroyed the poor and the deprived. He mentioned the brutal policies of compulsory sterilisation and encroachment removal forced upon people by the government during the Emergency.
Birla said the Emergency was a black spot that tried to undermine the principles of the Constitution, the federal structure and the importance of judicial independence. He added that the Emergency reminds us that it is necessary to protect the Constitution and constitutional values.
On behalf of the House, Birla expressed gratitude to the people of the country for their active participation in the world’s largest celebration of democracy (elections) for the 18th Lok Sabha. He also thanked the Election Commission for its fair, undisputed and transparent conduct of the elections. Referring to the formation of the NDA government for the third consecutive time under the leadership of PM Modi, Birla said that in the last decade, the expectations, hopes and aspirations of the people towards the government have increased and hence it becomes the responsibility of public representatives to make collective efforts to effectively fulfil the people’s expectations and aspirations.
Birla expressed gratitude to PM Modi for establishing the finest tradition of celebrating Constitution Day. He added that, under the guidance of the Prime Minister, the ‘Know Your Constitution’ campaign was started so that the younger generations of the country can understand their constitutional duties and responsibilities and make their best contribution to the development of the nation.
He expressed confidence that the 18th Lok Sabha will uphold its commitment to preserve and protect the Constitution created by Baba Saheb. Birla noted that the 18th Lok Sabha will remain committed to the rule of law and decentralization of powers in the country. Birla recalled the faith of the people of India in the constitutional institutions and the unprecedented struggle that led to the end of the Emergency and the establishment of constitutional rule once again.
Birla said that due to government oppression during the Emergency, countless people had to suffer and their families had to endure immense suffering, which ruined the lives of many citizens of India. The House observed a two-minute silence, remembering the citizens of the country who were harmed during the Emergency.
Pro-tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab conducted the election process. Prime Minister Narendra Modi moved the motion for the election of the Speaker, which was seconded by Defence Minister Raj Nath Singh. Union ministers, leaders of parties and other Members of Parliament also moved motions calling for the re-election of Birla. Arvind Ganpat Sawant, MP, moved the motion for the election of K Suresh, MP, as the Speaker of the Lok Sabha. Among others, the motion was seconded by NK Premachandran, MP.
The motion was put to vote by Pro-tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab and after voting, Om Birla was declared the Speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha. Thereafter, Mahtab invited Birla to take the Speaker’s Chair and conduct the proceedings of the House. The Leader of the House, PM Modi, addressed the House and congratulated Birla on his historic victory.
On the occasion, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, Union Ministers, party leaders and other Members of Parliament congratulated Birla on his historic re-election as the Speaker of the Lok Sabha. (ANI)