The Prime Minister was to address the Lok Sabha at 5 pm on Wednesday during the debate on the President’s Address. However, repeated disruptions and a demonstration by opposition women MPs forced the Speaker to adjourn the House. The Motion of Thanks was eventually passed on Thursday amid continued uproar, marking the first time since 2004 that the motion was adopted without a reply from the Prime Minister.
Explaining his decision, Birla told the House that the events of Wednesday were unprecedented. “When the leader of the House was to respond, members approached the Prime Minister’s seat. Anything could have happened. Out of concern, I myself requested the Prime Minister not to attend,” he said. He added that such conduct was not in keeping with parliamentary dignity and was visible to the entire nation.
According to parliamentary proceedings, opposition women MPs held banners reading “Do what is right” and surrounded the seats of ruling party leaders, including the Prime Minister’s chair, protesting the suspension of eight opposition MPs following earlier disruptions. Ministers intervened and asked the protesting members to return to their seats, after which the situation eased.
Birla also issued a warning that if members brought posters into the House, proceedings would not be allowed to continue. He said the Speaker’s office had witnessed heated exchanges between ruling and opposition MPs on Wednesday, further underlining the breakdown of order. Following continued ruckus, the Lok Sabha was adjourned till 11 am on Friday.
Meanwhile, reports citing sources claimed that the Speaker acted on intelligence inputs suggesting a possible security risk to the Prime Minister. The sources alleged that the Congress had planned to intensify the protest during the Prime Minister’s speech, prompting the decision to suspend proceedings.
The political standoff was triggered by opposition protests over Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi not being allowed to speak in the Lok Sabha. On Wednesday, Gandhi had brought what he described as an unpublished book by former Army Chief General M.M. Naravane to Parliament, claiming it contained references to the Prime Minister’s communications with military leadership. The government disputed the claim, calling the material sensitive and inappropriate for public discussion.
The impasse has deepened tensions during the Budget Session, with the Opposition accusing the government of stifling debate and the ruling party alleging deliberate attempts to disrupt parliamentary business. The Prime Minister is now expected to respond to the Motion of Thanks in the Rajya Sabha, even as disruptions continue in both Houses.
