Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday strongly criticised the opposition INDIA alliance and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi in Parliament while speaking during the debate on a no-confidence motion against Om Birla.
The Lok Sabha witnessed heated exchanges on Tuesday after the opposition moved the motion against Birla, accusing him of favouring the ruling side. Opposition leaders alleged that microphones were often switched off and that only opposition MPs were suspended during disruptions.
Leaders of the ruling National Democratic Alliance defended the Speaker, saying that several important bills had been passed smoothly under Birla’s leadership.
During the debate on Wednesday, Amit Shah backed the Speaker and questioned the purpose of the motion. He said the Speaker is the head of the Lok Sabha and is elected with the support of both the ruling party and the opposition. According to him, questioning the Speaker’s intentions could weaken the foundations of parliamentary democracy.
Shah also criticised Rahul Gandhi over his alleged low attendance in Parliament. The Home Minister claimed that Gandhi often misses important debates and travels abroad instead of participating in discussions on key issues.
Responding to Gandhi’s earlier allegations that he was not allowed to speak in the House, Shah said no one had stopped him from speaking, but he himself chose not to participate in several discussions because of foreign visits to countries such as Germany and United Kingdom.
Shah also took a swipe at Gandhi over some of his past gestures in Parliament, including blowing a flying kiss and winking during proceedings. He described such actions as inappropriate and urged opposition members, especially the Indian National Congress, to maintain decorum in the House.
His remarks triggered protests from opposition MPs, who demanded that the Home Minister apologise for targeting the Leader of the Opposition. During the debate, Congress leader K. C. Venugopal asked the Chair whether the motion had been brought against Om Birla or Rahul Gandhi.
Despite the disruptions and sloganeering, Shah continued his speech, again questioning Gandhi’s record as Leader of the Opposition and claiming that his attendance in the Lok Sabha was lower than the national average. He also alleged that Gandhi had skipped the President’s address to Parliament on several occasions.