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NEW DELHI — In a stunning revelation that has further strained the atmosphere in Parliament, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday disclosed that he had personally advised Prime Minister Narendra Modi to stay away from the House proceedings. The Speaker claimed he had received “concrete information” regarding a potential “unforeseen incident” planned by Congress members targeting the Prime Minister.
Preemptive Safety Measures
Addressing the House as it reassembled on February 5, Speaker Birla explained that the unusual absence of the Leader of the House during the reply to the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address was a deliberate security measure.
“I received information that several Congress MPs could indulge in an unforeseen act near the Prime Minister’s chair,” Birla stated. “To ensure that such a situation did not arise, I conveyed to PM Modi not to come to the House. Had any incident taken place, it would have been unfortunate and left our democratic traditions in shreds.”
The Speaker thanked the Prime Minister for acceding to his request, noting that while it is highly irregular for the Leader of the House not to speak, the priority was to “uphold the dignity of the House” and prevent “unpleasant scenes.”
Chaos on the Floor
The Speaker’s remarks come after dramatic scenes unfolded in the Lower House on Wednesday. According to reports:
Opposition Protests: A group of opposition MPs, including several women members, trooped into the Well and surrounded the Prime Minister’s vacant seat.
Flashpoints: The tension reportedly stemmed from heated debates over a controversial India-US trade deal and references to an unpublished memoir by former Army Chief MM Naravane.
Visuals: Video footage from the session showed members carrying banners and raising slogans in close proximity to the treasury benches, leading to an immediate adjournment.
Congress Hits Back: “Hiding Behind the Speaker”
The Congress party has vehemently denied the allegations of a “plot,” accusing the government of using the Speaker’s office to spread misinformation.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra dismissed the claims as an “absolute lie,” suggesting that the Prime Minister was simply avoiding a difficult debate. “The PM is hiding behind the Speaker. He did not have the guts to come to the House because members were standing to protest. To call a protest ‘terrorism’ or a ‘threat’ is an insult to women MPs,” she told reporters.
Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera also criticized the narrative, questioning whether the government considers democratic protest by Dalit and women MPs as a security threat.
A “Black Spot” on Parliament
Speaker Birla did not mince words in his critique of the opposition’s conduct, describing the events as a “black spot” in the history of the Indian Parliament. He lamented that political differences were being dragged into the Speaker’s office and the floor of the House in a manner never seen before.
As the standoff continues, the Motion of Thanks was passed via voice vote without the Prime Minister’s customary reply—a rare occurrence in Indian parliamentary history. PM Modi is expected to deliver his response in the Rajya Sabha later this evening.
