A heated debate erupted in Parliament after Union Home Minister Amit Shah sharply criticised Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi during discussions over a motion seeking the removal of Om Birla as the Speaker of the Lok Sabha. The controversy follows accusations by opposition parties that the Speaker has favoured the ruling government during parliamentary proceedings. Shah rejected these allegations and accused Gandhi of spreading misinformation to undermine the dignity of Parliament.

During his address, Shah responded to complaints by Gandhi that opposition leaders are not given adequate opportunities to speak in the House. The Home Minister argued that speaking opportunities depend largely on attendance and participation by members. He claimed Gandhi frequently misses parliamentary sessions and therefore cannot blame the Speaker for being unable to raise issues during debates.

Shah cited attendance figures from previous Lok Sabha terms to support his argument. According to him, Gandhi’s attendance in the 16th Lok Sabha was around 52 percent compared to an average of 80 percent for members. In the 17th Lok Sabha, he said Gandhi’s attendance was approximately 51 percent while the House average was about 66 percent. Shah also noted that Congress members collectively spoke for several hours in the current Lok Sabha, questioning why Gandhi himself did not utilise available opportunities.

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The Home Minister further criticised the opposition’s move to bring a no-confidence motion against Speaker Om Birla, describing it as unprecedented and damaging to parliamentary traditions. Shah said such an action had not been attempted for nearly four decades and argued that it undermined the dignity of the Speaker’s office. He added that when the Bharatiya Janata Party was in opposition, it chose to function as what he described as a constructive opposition without targeting the Speaker’s position.

Earlier in the debate, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju also criticised Rahul Gandhi’s behaviour in Parliament. Rijiju referred to earlier incidents involving Gandhi, including hugging Prime Minister Narendra Modi inside the House, winking at fellow lawmakers, and informally addressing the Speaker. According to the minister, such actions did not reflect the seriousness expected in parliamentary proceedings.

The motion seeking action against Speaker Om Birla was introduced by Congress MP Mohammad Jawed and received the support of more than 50 opposition members, triggering the formal debate. BJP MP Jagdambika Pal, who presided over the proceedings during the discussion, said that around ten hours had been allotted for members to debate the motion and urged lawmakers to focus on the resolution while maintaining parliamentary decorum.

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