A stormy debate erupted in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday as the opposition sharpened its attack on Speaker Om Birla over allegations of partisan conduct. During the discussion on the no-confidence motion against the Speaker, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Trinamool Congress MP Sayanī Ghosh accused the Chair of repeatedly stifling opposition voices in Parliament, triggering a sharp political confrontation inside the House.
Raising the issue during the debate, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi claimed that opposition MPs are frequently prevented from speaking. “Whenever we stand up to speak, we are stopped,” he said, arguing that the Lok Sabha belongs to the entire nation and not to any one political party.
Backing Rahul Gandhi’s charge, Trinamool Congress MP Sayanī Ghosh launched a scathing criticism of the functioning of Parliament. The Jadavpur MP said the institution was witnessing an alarming decline in democratic space. “Very little democracy seems to be left inside Parliament today. If our voices are suppressed here, how will we fight for the people’s rights?” she asked.
Ghosh also took direct aim at the ruling side, warning that Parliament should not be reduced to a political platform for party interests. “Do not turn Parliament into a party office,” she said, adding that the House was increasingly becoming a stage for political messaging rather than serious policymaking.
“Don’t Turn Parliament Into a Party Office”: TMC Backs Rahul Gandhi in Fierce Speaker No-Confidence Debate
On the second day of the debate, BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad strongly criticised the opposition’s move, calling the no-confidence motion against the Speaker “deeply unfortunate.” Without naming Rahul Gandhi directly, he suggested that such a motion should not be used to satisfy a leader’s personal ego, especially when sensitive issues like national security are involved.
Responding to the criticism, Rahul Gandhi reiterated that the issue was not about politics but about parliamentary fairness. He maintained that opposition leaders were routinely interrupted or denied the opportunity to present their arguments inside the House.
Sayanī Ghosh also cited specific examples to support the opposition’s claims. She alleged that speeches by Rahul Gandhi, TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee, and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav were frequently obstructed, while certain ruling party members were allowed greater freedom.
Referring to a recent incident during the Budget Session, she pointed out that Rahul Gandhi had been stopped from quoting passages from an unpublished book by former Army Chief General Manoj Naravane regarding Chinese aggression. Speaker Om Birla had ruled that parliamentary rules do not allow references to books or newspapers.
However, the opposition questioned the consistency of that rule. Ghosh noted that BJP MP Nishikant Dubey had earlier quoted extensively from books alleging corruption involving the Gandhi-Nehru family without facing similar restrictions, raising concerns over what the opposition described as “selective enforcement” of parliamentary procedures.
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