‘You bowed down to PM Modi,’ LoP Rahul Gandhi attacks Speaker Om Birla

01/07/2024

Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Indian Parliament's lower house, Rahul Gandhi, on Monday (July 1) targeted Speaker Om Birla for his alleged bias towards the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as he highlighted how the Kota MP bowed down to Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he met him.

"I noticed something when you (Speaker Om Birla) shook my hand. When you shook my hand, you were standing upright. But when you shook Modiji's hand, you bowed down to him," Rahul Gandhi said.

As Rahul spoke those words, the opposition bench erupted in cheers. However, the MPs sitting on the opposite flank didn't appear amused. The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) MPs, along with Home Minister Amit Shah, stood up and accused Gandhi of directly levelling allegations against the chair.

And then, Speaker Om Birla responded.

As he directed the ruling MPs to firmly sit in their chairs and not create a ruckus inside the parliament, he made it clear to Gandhi that bowing down to the PM merely showed his 'sanskaar' or values as Modi is elder to him.

"Hounrable Prime Minister is the leader of the House, and it is in my culture and morals that I bow down when I meet my elders and treat as equal those who are my age", the speaker said while responding to Gandhi.

"My morals are that we bow down to the elders and even touch their feet," he added.

Reacting to Birla's statement, Gandhi further added he 'accepted the speaker's views' and that the entire opposition was ready to accept his supreme authority in the house.

"I duly, respectfully accept your views sir, but I want to tell you that there is no one bigger than the Speaker in the House," Gandhi said.

"The Speaker is above all in the House and we should all bow down before him/her," he added.

"You are the Speaker and you should not bow down before anyone", Rahul Gandhi concluded.

Later, the government responded to Rahul Gandhi's speech in the parliament and accused him of spreading lies using his position as the leader of opposition.

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said, "The position of Leader of Opposition is a very responsible position...Rahul ji has taken up a responsibility for the first time but despite taking up responsibility for the first time, today he has given very irresponsible statement. He said that no compensation is given to the martyrs, there can be no bigger lie than this. Today, when he was giving his speech, the Defence Minister clarified in the House itself that the martyrs get a compensation of Rs 1 crore. He should look at his facts. It is not that Congress has raised questions on the Army for the first time, Congress has always raised such questions on the Army and tried to mislead the country..."

(With inputs from agencies)

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