Indian Lok Sabha Speaker Election Updates: House Adjourned Amidst Chaos Over Om Birla’s ‘Emergency a Dark Chapter’ Comment
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"Discussions should be held, and views and criticism should be expressed. But there should be no deadlock in the House," said Om Birla in his first address after being elected as Speaker.
The Lok Sabha experienced slogan shouting on Wednesday after Speaker Om Birla made a statement regarding the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi in 1975. “Dictatorship was imposed in the country by Indira Gandhi. The democratic values of India were crushed, and freedom of expression was strangled,” he said. Following this, the House was adjourned and will reconvene tomorrow, June 27.
Birla emphasized his commitment to parliamentary decorum and expressed hope that future Lok Sabha sessions would feature meaningful discussions without deadlocks. The NDA candidate was expected to retain the Speaker’s post due to the ruling coalition's numerical advantage. After his win, Om Birla was congratulated by PM Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who both escorted him to the Speaker’s chair. PM Modi remarked that Birla’s parliamentary work should inspire new Lok Sabha members. Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi expressed hope that the Opposition would be allowed to voice the people's concerns in the House. Birla's opponent, Congress candidate K Suresh, filed his nomination after the ruling party and Opposition failed to reach a consensus the previous evening.
The NDA and Opposition struggled to reach a consensus due to disagreements over the Deputy Speaker position. On Monday night, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh engaged with Congress President and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, and other opposition leaders to seek agreement on Om Birla’s nomination. Congress sources indicate that Kharge raised the Deputy Speaker issue, which was supposed to be addressed the next morning. However, just before the noon deadline for Speaker nominations on Tuesday, the ruling party requested signatures on Birla’s nomination papers without resolving the Deputy Speaker issue.
There was an uproar in the Lok Sabha after Speaker Om Birla condemned the 1975 Emergency, calling it a "dark chapter in the history of India."
"This House strongly condemns the decision to impose Emergency in 1975. We appreciate the determination of those who opposed the Emergency and fought to protect India's democracy. June 25, 1975, will always be known as a black chapter in the history of India," Birla stated.
"On this day, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi imposed Emergency and attacked the Constitution crafted by Baba Saheb Ambedkar. India is known worldwide as the mother of democracy. Democratic values and debates have always been supported and protected in India. Indira Gandhi imposed dictatorship on such a democratic India. The democratic values of India were crushed, and freedom of expression was strangled," he further added.