Questions on the speaker, uproar over ‘India’; Fight for democracy in Lok Sabha?

#News Bureau March 27,2025

A new storm has arisen in the Lok Sabha, which is called the temple of democracy. On one hand, questions are being raised about the impartiality of Speaker Om Birla’s chair, while on the other hand the opposition alleges that their voice is being deliberately suppressed. The leaders of the India Alliance have submitted a letter containing eight issues to the Speaker, which includes complaints ranging from turning off the microphone to the appointment of the Deputy Speaker. Is this a new chapter in the old battle between the ruling and opposition parties in Parliament, or are democratic values ​​really being hurt?

In fact, what has been happening in the Lok Sabha for the last few days is no less than a drama. On Wednesday, Speaker Om Birla suddenly adjourned the House and appealed to the members, especially the opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, to maintain the dignity of the Parliament. But this appeal became a matter of controversy. On Thursday, the leaders of the India Alliance met the Speaker and submitted a letter, in which eight serious issues were raised. This incident not only raises questions on the parliamentary process, but also asks whether this platform of democracy is now running at the behest of the power?

The India Alliance has made several shocking allegations in its letter. These include the post of Deputy Chairman in Lok Sabha lying vacant, preventing the Leader of Opposition from speaking, ignoring the decisions of the Business Advisory Committee, and rejecting adjournment motions. Apart from this, there are also issues like ignoring private member bills, keeping key ministries out of the budget discussion, not holding discussions under Rule 193, and most controversially – switching off the microphones of opposition MPs.

Key issues of India Alliance
The post of Deputy Chairman in the Lok Sabha, which has traditionally been given to the opposition, has been vacant for a long time.
Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, allege that they are not being given a chance to put forth their views in the House.
The opposition says that the decisions of the Business Advisory Committee are not being implemented.
The demand for discussion on important issues raised by the opposition is being constantly rejected.
Bills and motions of opposition MPs are not being given adequate time or attention.
Important ministries are not being included in the discussion on the budget and demand for grants.
Rule 193 allows discussion on issues of urgent public importance, but it is not being used.
The opposition claims that interventions are being made on technical grounds to suppress their voice.
These complaints show that the opposition feels that their participation is being systematically curtailed.
Rahul Gandhi had said on Wednesday, ‘I was not doing anything, sitting quietly. Yet, when I stand up, I am prevented from speaking. There is no place for democracy here.’ On the other hand, the Speaker cited Rule 349 in his statement, but did not clarify which incident he was targeting. The opposition says that taking advantage of this ambiguity, the BJP started campaigning outside, raising questions on the impartiality of the Speaker. Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi termed it as politicization outside the House.

Speaking to reporters after meeting the Speaker, Congress Lok Sabha Deputy Leader Gaurav Gogoi said, “We expressed our common concerns that the ruling party is going against the rules, traditions and culture of Parliament. We submitted a letter and raised the issue that the Speaker read out his statement yesterday, but it was not clear which topic or incident he was talking about. He said that members, especially the LoP, should follow Rule 349, but did not say which incident he was referring to. We saw that this incident was politicised and propaganda was spread outside in the evening. We told the Speaker that his statement is being politicised outside the House.” When Gogoi was asked whether the Speaker revealed in what context he was talking about maintaining the ‘dignity of the House’ on Wednesday, he said, “I do not think it is appropriate to discuss what the Speaker said in the meeting.”

This conflict is not the story of just one day. The post of Deputy Speaker has been vacant since 2019, which is against tradition. The opposition considers it a part of the ruling party’s strategy to weaken their voice. Steps like turning off the microphone and ignoring adjournment motions deepen this suspicion. But is it only the opposition’s complaint, or does the ruling party also believe that discipline is necessary in the House? The BJP may say that the opposition deliberately creates a ruckus, due to which the Speaker has to be strict. The truth may be somewhere in the middle, but at the moment the trust between the two sides seems to be breaking.

Om Birla, who sits on the Speaker’s chair, now has a tough question in front of him – will he prove his impartiality by giving equal opportunity to all the parties? If the complaints of the opposition remain unheard, it will hurt the credibility of the Parliament.

On the other hand, the opposition will also have to think whether their strategy is limited to just making noise, or can they put forward their point in a constructive manner. This war has now spread outside the Parliament to the streets and social media, where the BJP and the opposition are intensifying attacks on each other.

This ‘battle of democracy’ in the Lok Sabha is not just a tussle between the ruling party and the opposition, but a question of the future of parliamentary traditions. The allegations against the speaker and the subdued voice of the opposition indicate that the balance in the Parliament is deteriorating. Will this tension be resolved, or will it deepen further? Right now it is clear that both dignity and trust are at stake on this platform of democracy.