Congress expresses displeasure to Speaker on Emergency resolution
Resolution on Emergency could have been avoided, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi told Speaker Om Birla
Expressing its displeasure on Speaker Om Birla bringing in a resolution against imposition of Emergency, Congress has said making political reference, that too on the day of assuming office, was “deeply shocking“ and “unprecedented in the annals of history of Parliament.”
“Making of such a political reference from the Chair is unprecedented in the annals of history of Parliament. This coming from the Chair as one of the ‘first duties’ from a newly elected Speaker assumes even graver proportions,” the party’s general secretary K.C. Venugopal has written in a letter to Mr. Birla.
The party’s views were conveyed to the Speaker in person too, by Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi.
On June 26, 2024, when Om Birla was re-elected the Speaker of Lok Sabha, he read out a resolution in the House on the 1975 Emergency. The resolution blamed Congress for “supressing the rights of the people” “attacking the principles of democracy”.
When Mr. Gandhi and INDIA bloc leaders met Speaker Om Birla as “a courtesy call” after the President’s address, it is learnt that he voiced his displeasure saying it was “clearly a political reference” and could have been avoided.
Mr. Gandhi was accompanied by Dharmendra Yadav of Samajwadi Party, DMK’s Kanimozhi, NCP (SP)‘s Supriya Sule, and TMC’s Kalyan Banerjee, besides others.
“In the course of the discussion, Opposition leaders told the Speaker that resolution on Emergency was avoidable,” Mr. Venugopal told reporters.
He also wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker about the resolution on Emergency being read out by the Chair.
“I am writing this in the context of a very grave matter impacting upon the very credibility of institution of Parliament. Yesterday that is 26 June 2024, at the time of offering felicitations on your election as Speaker Lok Sabha, there was a general camaraderie in the House as such occasions generate. However, what followed thereafter, which is reference from the Chair after your acceptance speech, in regard to declaration of Emergency half a century ago, is deeply shocking”
“Making of such a political reference from the Chair is unprecedented in the annals of history of Parliament. This coming from the Chair as one of the ‘first duties’ from a newly-elected Speaker assumes even graver proportions,” he added.
“I, on behalf of Indian National Congress, express our profound concern and anguish over this travesty of Parliamentary traditions,” Mr Venugopal said in his letter.
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