New Delhi: For the first time in over two decades, the Prime Minister did not reply in the Lok Sabha to the debate on the President’s Address, as proceedings in the Lower House were repeatedly disrupted. The motion of thanks to the President’s speech was eventually passed through a voice vote amid continued protests on Thursday.
Hours after the approval of the motion, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla made a significant allegation, stating that he had received credible information suggesting that several Congress Members of Parliament might reach the Prime Minister’s seat and cause “some unexpected incidents” when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to speak earlier in the week.
Speaking after the motion of thanks was adopted, Birla said that the conduct witnessed on Wednesday was unprecedented in the history of the Lok Sabha. He expressed concern over Opposition members entering the Speaker’s office and described the episode as a serious breach of parliamentary decorum.
“Some members behaved in a manner that has never occurred since the inception of the Lok Sabha. The dignity of the Speaker’s office is protected by the Constitution. Historically, political differences were never brought to the Speaker’s office. What happened was inappropriate and a black mark on parliamentary traditions,” Birla said, urging all parties to cooperate in ensuring the smooth functioning of the House.
The Speaker further revealed that ahead of the Prime Minister’s scheduled reply to the President’s Address, he had received intelligence inputs warning of potential disruptions near the Prime Minister’s seat. “When the Leader of the House was to reply, I received reliable information that several members of the Congress party might reach the Prime Minister’s seat and cause some unexpected incidents. In view of this, I advised the Prime Minister not to come to the House the following day,” Birla said.
His remarks appeared to be linked to scenes from Wednesday, when some Congress women MPs were seen standing near the Prime Minister’s seat and in the adjacent aisle during protests. Several Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members also echoed similar concerns, alleging that the situation posed security and procedural risks.
The Congress, however, strongly rejected the Speaker’s claims. Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra dismissed the allegations, accusing the government of avoiding parliamentary discussion. “The Prime Minister is hiding behind the Speaker. He did not come to the House because three women MPs were standing near the bench. This is nonsense. There is no discussion because the government does not want discussion,” she said.
Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi also criticised the Prime Minister, saying he had chosen to avoid facing the truth. “Modi ji was so afraid of the truth that he took refuge in lies. However, he did what he thought was right,” Gandhi said in a post on social media platform X.
An Opposition MP, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that a few women MPs had stood near the Prime Minister’s seat for less than a minute and that it could not have obstructed the Prime Minister’s speech. According to officials, even though the Prime Minister was present in the Parliament building, the Speaker decided to adjourn the House after noticing Opposition MPs near the Prime Minister’s seat.
Congress leader and party spokesperson Pawan Khera questioned the Speaker’s office over reports suggesting that women MPs were allegedly planning to “attack” the Prime Minister. “Are the government and some sections of the media trying to suggest that women are inherently violent? Is a protest by women being equated with terrorism?” he asked.
Meanwhile, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MP L Sri Krishna Devarayalu expressed disappointment over the conduct witnessed in the House. He criticised the display of placards and banners inside the chamber, saying such actions were unnecessary and undermined parliamentary proceedings.
Earlier in the day, the Lok Sabha passed the motion of thanks to the President’s Address through a voice vote despite continuous disruptions.
The last time a Prime Minister could not complete a reply to the President’s Address was in 2004, when then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was interrupted by protests over the inclusion of allegedly tainted ministers in his Cabinet. However, in that instance, the debate itself had taken place.
This year, only a handful of MPs, including Union minister Sarbanand Sonowal, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, and TDP leader Harish Balayogi, managed to complete their speeches. BJP MP Nishikant Dubey was unable to finish his address before the House was adjourned.
The continuing impasse stems from Opposition demands that Rahul Gandhi be allowed to speak on former Army chief M M Naravane’s unpublished memoir. Earlier this week, the Speaker disallowed references to reports on the book, citing parliamentary rules. The suspension of eight Opposition MPs on Tuesday further intensified the standoff.
Despite repeated appeals from the Chair to maintain order and conduct protests through debate rather than disruption, Opposition members continued sloganeering and rushed to the Well of the House, bringing parliamentary business to a standstill.
