Gogoi: Birla showed bias, Mike was also used like a ‘weapon’,resolution brought to save the dignity of the House

While initiating the discussion on the resolution brought to remove Birla from the House, Gogoi also alleged that in the current times, the microphone in the Lok Sabha is being used like a ‘weapon’, and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and other Opposition leaders are not being allowed to speak.

He claimed that Rahul Gandhi was stopped more than 20 times from speaking during the discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address in the first phase of the current Budget session.

Earlier, Congress MP Mohammad Javed had presented this resolution in the House.

Gogoi said, “The country should know how the Constitution and the dignity of the House are being violated.”

He said that the Opposition takes no pleasure in bringing this resolution.

He said, “Birla ji personally has a good relationship with everyone. We are forced to bring this resolution. In order to save the dignity of this House and to maintain the people's trust in the House, following dharma, we are bringing this no-confidence motion.”

Gogoi said that the Opposition is not making a personal attack on Birla.

He said, “The door of this temple (Parliament) is open to everyone, and the role of the Speaker in its functioning is very important.”

The Congress leader said, “When the Leader of the Opposition stood up to speak on the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address in February, disruptions were created more than 20 times. This was done only because he wanted to raise some important issues.”

During his speech in the first phase of the Budget session, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi had attempted to target the government by referring to an unpublished book by a former Army chief, but he was not permitted by the Chair to do so.

He alleged that the country's leadership is weak today.Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju objected to his statement.

In response, Gogoi said that when parliamentary records are examined in the future, the data will show that Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rijiju was the one who created the most disruptions.

Gogoi mentioned that Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi had also raised in the House the issue of the ‘Epstein files’ and a case filed in America against an industrialist, due to which the Prime Minister came under pressure and entered into a trade agreement with America.

According to him, when the Leader of the Opposition raised some important issues, the Lok Sabha Speaker asked for facts to be verified, and the Leader of the Opposition was ready to verify them, but the ruling party members did not want the issue to be raised.

He said, “Rahul Gandhi has to repeatedly plead to be allowed to speak. The mike is turned off. The Lok Sabha Speaker says to stay focused on the subject.”

The Congress leader said that the Speaker's conduct raises questions about the democratic spirit and his impartiality in the House.

He said that on February 9, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor's mike was turned off.

Gogoi claimed that today the country's political leadership does not like questions and only wants to deliver ‘Mann ki Baat’.

According to him, the Lok Sabha Speaker had referred to Opposition women MPs and said that they themselves had told Prime Minister Modi not to come to the House to reply to the discussion on the President's Address because something unexpected might happen.

Gogoi said, “This is shameful.”

He questioned on what basis such an allegation was made against Opposition women MPs.

The Congress MP claimed, “When women MPs question the government, they are reminded that they are women. This has become a tradition in this House.”

Gogoi said that many parts of the Leader of the Opposition's speeches are expunged from the proceedings, but when ruling party members make baseless allegations against former Prime Ministers, they are not expunged.

He said that this “bias is not appropriate for the dignity of the House.”

The Congress leader said that dialogue between the Opposition and the ruling party is necessary for strengthening democracy.