Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla revealed on Thursday that he had recommended Prime Minister Narendra Modi skip the House session earlier this week due to warnings of possible disruptions from opposition lawmakers, especially from the Congress party.
The Prime Minister was scheduled to respond to the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address on Wednesday, but the reply was canceled after the Speaker received information that certain Congress MPs might attempt “unexpected acts” near Mr. Modi’s seat. Birla described this as a potential threat to parliamentary decorum and the dignity of the House.
“The decision was taken to prevent any unpleasant incident in the House,” Birla said, adding that it was his responsibility to ensure smooth functioning and uphold the traditions of Parliament. He also expressed appreciation to Mr. Modi for agreeing to stay away following his advice.
On Thursday, the Lok Sabha eventually passed the Motion of Thanks without the Prime Minister’s customary reply. The House witnessed repeated disruptions from opposition members during the session, reflecting ongoing tensions between the government and opposition benches.
Birla condemned the behavior of certain MPs as “unprecedented,” emphasizing that political disagreements should never lead to actions that compromise the dignity of the Speaker or the parliamentary process.
Congress leaders, however, strongly rejected the Speaker’s claims. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra called them “completely false” and accused Mr. Modi of avoiding Parliament. She insisted there was no plan to target the Prime Minister and criticized the use of alleged security concerns as a justification for his absence.
The tension also stems from the opposition’s protests over procedural issues, including restrictions on Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi speaking on a book by a former army chief. These disruptions contributed to a tense environment during the ongoing Budget session.
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