New Delhi: Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra on Wednesday (March 15, 2023) slammed Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla for only allowing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmakers to speak in the ongoing second part of the Budget Session. Stating that “democracy is under attack”, she said that a not single opposition member is being allowed to speak in the lower house of the Parliament. The proceedings in Parliament were disrupted for the third straight day on Wednesday as the political slugfest between the BJP and the Congress over Rahul Gandhi’s recent remarks and the Adani issue intensified and the opposition parties took to the streets.
“Last 3 days saw speaker Om Birla allow ONLY BJP ministers to speak on mike & then adjourn parliament with not single opposition member being allowed to speak. Democracy IS under attack. And the speaker leads from the front. And I am willing to go to jail for this tweet,” Moitra said on Twitter.
Last 3 days saw speaker @ombirlakota allow ONLY BJP ministers to speak on mike & then adjourn parliament with not single opposition member being allowed to speak.
Democracy IS under attack. And the speaker leads from the front. And I am willing to go to jail for this tweet.
— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) March 15, 2023
Her reaction came after the BJP stepped up the ante against Rahul Gandhi in the Parliament, saying India’s democracy is not in peril but the Congress party has been brought to “political perish” by the people.
The opposition party, on the other hand, also escalated its offensive and accused the Narendra Modi-led government of “undermining and weakening” democracy in the country by stalling Parliament to save a businessman.
In Lok Sabha, opposition members stormed into the Well of the House, raising placards and slogans, demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the Adani matter while the BJP slammed Rahul, accusing him of insulting India and cast aspersion against the Speaker of the House.
Speaker Om Birla repeatedly urged the members to return to their seats and allow the house to run.
“This house is meant for holding discussions and dialogues. Let’s talk about policy and have a good discussion on issues related to public welfare. If we want people’s welfare and consider this house a temple of democracy, I will request that at least don’t comment on this house,” he said.
“It is not right to comment, either inside (the house) or outside. Talk about issues and policy here. It is not right to bring placards like this here. I am warning you. This is wrong,” Birla added.
On Wednesday, the Congress along with several other opposition parties also took out a protest march from Parliament House to hand over a complaint to the Enforcement Directorate on the Adani issue. However, they were stopped by the police at Vijay Chowk.
JPC के मुद्दे पर सभी विपक्षी पार्टियाँ एकमत हैं।
मोदी जी के “परम मित्र” — अडानी से जुड़े महा-घोटाले की जाँच के लिये हम ED को विस्तृत पत्र सौंपने जा रहें हैं। लेकिन सरकार हमें रोक रही है।
विपक्षी पार्टियों पर लगातार छापे मारने वाली ED, मोदी जी के मित्र का पता क्यों भूल गई है ? pic.twitter.com/KiuaOaqR0a
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) March 15, 2023
The opposition has been demanding a joint parliamentary committee probe or a Supreme Court-monitored investigation into the allegations of fraud and manipulation made by the US-based short seller Hindenburg Research against billionaire Gautam Adani’s companies that triggered an unprecedented stock crash. The group has denied the charges.
The opposition parties have alleged that the meltdown in Adani Group shares is a ‘mega scam’ that involves common people’s money as public sector LIC and SBI have invested in them and have questioned the government on steps taken by it.