Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla made sensational revelations that he had received information suggesting opposition MPs, particularly those from the Congress, had planned an “unexpected” and “inappropriate” approach towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said this posed the risk of an untoward incident, and that is why he requested the Prime Minister, in order to uphold parliamentary dignity, not to attend the Lok Sabha that day.
This is not only unprecedented but also shameful that opposition lawmakers had planned something of this nature. Coming from the Speaker himself, the information is highly significant. He must have had credible inputs, prompting him to take the initiative to prevent an untoward and ugly situation that would have lowered the dignity of Parliament, the highest temple of democracy in the country, which must function beyond partisan and sectarian divisions.
Opposition leaders have consistently resorted to aggressive behaviour inside Parliament for many years. Not only what they say, but the manner in which they say it, including their body language, is often aggressive and at times even offensive towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whom they have targeted personally, often hitting below the belt.
Constructive and objective criticism is welcome, but personal attacks are unacceptable. Modi is the elected Prime Minister of the country. Unlike others, he was not thrust upon the nation. He was projected as the prime ministerial candidate by the BJP ahead of the 2014 General Elections. The people voted him to office not once, but thrice in succession. Opposition members, particularly those from the Congress and specifically Rahul Gandhi, must understand, realise, and accept this fact. Modi is the choice of the people of this country, which must be accepted, even if respecting it proves difficult.
Gandhi has adopted multiple means to discredit the Prime Minister’s consecutive electoral victories. Initially, he accused him of dividing the country on religious lines. This was followed by allegations of EVM manipulation. When neither gained traction, he advanced another theory of “vote theft”. At the root of all this lies the inability of the Congress party and its leadership to accept repeated electoral defeats.
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When nothing appeared to work, Congress leaders began referring to the so-called “Epstein Files”, alleging that Prime Minister Modi’s name features in them, despite no such information being available in the public domain. While the allegation is not worth serious consideration, it must be stated for the record that Modi did not possess a US visa until 2014. The Epstein scandal occurred much earlier. By 2014, Epstein had already been exposed and convicted of sex offences.
Even Hardeep Puri’s name, reportedly appearing in the files, relates to an entirely different context. He is said to have interacted with Epstein regarding the promotion of investments in India. Epstein was known for his business connections and lobbying influence before his exposure.
The Congress party’s frustration is understandable. The party, particularly the Gandhi family, has never remained out of power for such an extended period. Prior to 2014, the longest spell out of power was between 1998 and 2004. Even then, Sonia Gandhi wielded considerable influence over the Vajpayee government, to the extent that she reportedly succeeded in having her estranged sister-in-law Maneka Gandhi removed from the culture ministry. This is the first time the Congress and the family have been completely devoid of power for so long.
Rahul Gandhi has openly attempted to instigate the youth, particularly Gen Z, to emulate protests seen in Nepal and Bangladesh. He has drawn parallels by alleging “rigged elections” in India, similar to claims made in Bangladesh, which were in fact instigated by the fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami. He also attempted to build a narrative that the 2024 General Elections were rigged. However, his claims failed to resonate with the people, especially the youth, who rejected the “vote theft” theory.
In the current session as well, Rahul Gandhi has raised a weak issue, claiming that former Army Chief Gen MM Naravane was asked to do whatever he deemed fit when Chinese troops intruded into Indian territory. There is nothing improper in this. The Army Chief is the operational head and deserved to be given a free hand. If the Prime Minister or Defence Minister told him to act as he deemed fit, there is no reason for controversy. The government should not have been defensive and should have debated the matter confidently in Parliament.
Speaker Om Birla must take this matter to its logical conclusion and ensure a thorough investigation. Intelligence inputs cannot be taken lightly. India is a respected democracy, and Parliament its highest institution. Any attempt to desecrate its dignity must be dealt with firmly. The Speaker must set a strong precedent, expose those responsible, and ensure exemplary punishment.
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