In a fiery session in Parliament, Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s sharp remarks directed at Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi triggered an unprecedented wave of protests from the Opposition benches, who accused him of using “unparliamentary language.” The heated exchanges highlighted deepening tensions within the house.
The Opposition’s numbers stood at 238 MPs, including 99 from Congress, with the remaining seats held by parties such as the Samajwadi Party, DMK, and Trinamool Congress. Meanwhile, the government commanded a strong majority with 293 MPs—comprising 240 from the BJP, 16 from the JDU, 12 from the TDP, and other NDA allies—ensuring its stability.
Amidst this backdrop, Opposition parties attempted to push a no-confidence motion against the Speaker, alleging partisanship and bias—an assertion that has surfaced repeatedly since the appointment of Speaker Om Birla. The current conflict intensified during the budget session, when Birla prevented Rahul Gandhi from reading excerpts from an unpublished book by former Army chief General MM Naravane, and other Opposition leaders, on a key issue.
Eight Opposition MPs were suspended for the entire Budget Session, and the Opposition accused the government of making baseless allegations against women MPs who had gheraoed the Prime Minister’s seat—an incident that occurred when the PM was absent from the house.
During the debate, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi emphasized that the motion was aimed at protecting the dignity of the House, not targeting Birla personally. He criticized the Speaker for allegedly losing impartiality, stating that Birla’s conduct undermined the rights of Members and favored the ruling party’s stance on controversial issues.
In response, Shah countered, accusing the Opposition of attempting to claim the high moral ground, and asserted that their own behavior had led to the penalties imposed on them. The debate underscored the growing rift between the government and Opposition over procedural and conduct issues in Parliament.
