Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav expressed his hope for impartiality and fairness in the 18th Lok Sabha following the re-election of NDA’s Om Birla as the Lok Sabha Speaker.
Speaking shortly after the election, Akhilesh Yadav conveyed his congratulations and best wishes to Om Birla, emphasizing the importance of continuing the tradition of non-discrimination associated with the Speaker’s role.
“I congratulate you and extend best wishes on behalf of all my colleagues. The post that you are occupying has glorious traditions attached to it. We believe that this will continue without any discrimination and as Lok Sabha Speaker, you will give equal opportunities and respect to every member and party,” Yadav stated.
Akhilesh Yadav highlighted the critical responsibility of impartiality that comes with the Speaker’s position. “Impartiality is a great responsibility of this great position… We expect that no public representative’s voice will be stifled, nor will an action like expulsion take place again,” he said, referring to the unprecedented suspension of over 100 MPs during the Winter Session of Parliament last year.
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He further emphasized the need for the Speaker’s control to be balanced. “Your control is on the Opposition but it should be on the ruling side too. The House should function on your signals and not the other way round,” he added. “I hope that you would respect the Opposition as much as you respect the ruling dispensation and let them present their side.”
Rahul Gandhi Echoes Similar Sentiments
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, speaking before Akhilesh Yadav, also appealed to Speaker Om Birla to ensure that the voice of the Opposition is represented in the House. “It is very important that the voice of the Opposition is allowed to be represented in this House,” Rahul Gandhi asserted.
He expressed confidence in Om Birla’s ability to allow the Opposition to speak. “The question is not how efficiently the House is run. The question is how much of India’s voice is being allowed to be heard. So the idea that you can run the House efficiently by silencing the voice of the Opposition is a non-democratic idea. And this election has shown that the people of India expect the Opposition to defend the Constitution,” Rahul Gandhi said.
“We are confident that by allowing the Opposition to speak, you will do your duty of defending the Constitution,” Gandhi added.
Om Birla’s Re-Election
Om Birla, a three-time BJP MP from Rajasthan’s Kota, was re-elected as the Lok Sabha Speaker for the second consecutive time on Wednesday after winning the election by a voice vote.
Om Birla’s re-election marks a significant moment in the ongoing political landscape, with leaders across the spectrum calling for fair representation and respect for all parliamentary voices.
