The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha, which started on June 24 and concluded on Tuesday, saw a productivity rate of 103 percent over seven sittings. Speaker Om Birla reported that the session lasted approximately 30 hours and 40 minutes. During this period, 539 members took the oath, and the Lok Sabha recorded 103 percent productivity.
On June 26, Om Birla was re-elected as Speaker through a voice vote. The same day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced the Council of Ministers to the House, and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was appointed as the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha.
The discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address spanned more than 18 hours, with 68 members participating and 25 members laying out their speeches. The debate concluded with the Prime Minister's reply on Tuesday.
The session saw a total of 41 matters taken up under Rule 377 and three statements made under Direction 73A. Additionally, 338 papers were laid during the session.
Speaker Om Birla expressed his gratitude to Bhartruhari Mahtab, the Pro-tem Speaker, for the smooth conduct of proceedings, and thanked the Prime Minister, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, leaders of parties, and members of the House for their contributions.
The session was marked by heated debates, especially on issues such as NEET exams, paper leaks, and the Agniveer Scheme. During the debate on the motion of thanks to President Draupadi Murmu's address, Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP and RSS of spreading violence and hatred, leading to protests from the Treasury benches.
BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Ministers Amit Shah, and Rajnath Singh, countered Gandhi's remarks, accusing him of speaking lies and misleading the House. Gandhi defended his statements, asserting that the BJP and RSS do not represent the entire Hindu community.
BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj moved a notice under Rule 115, drawing the Speaker's attention to alleged inaccuracies in Rahul Gandhi's speech. Responding to Gandhi's remarks, Prime Minister Modi stated that there is a conspiracy to falsely accuse Hindus of being violent, and emphasized that such accusations will not be forgotten.
PM Modi also criticized the Congress and its ecosystem for attempting to mislead the public about their electoral performance, stating that the Congress has failed to cross the 100-seat mark in three consecutive elections. He suggested that the Congress should accept its defeat and respect the people's mandate.
The session ended with Lok Sabha being adjourned sine die after the adoption of the motion of thanks on the President's address. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh moved a motion condemning the behavior of opposition members, supported by Home Minister Amit Shah.
The motion was adopted by the House through a voice vote. The BJP-led NDA has formed its third successive government following the Lok Sabha polls, winning 293 seats, while the opposition INDIA bloc won 243 seats.
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