No-confidence motion against Om Birla; Speaker to skip proceedings

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will skip House proceedings after Congress filed a no-confidence motion against him, alleging 'partisan' conduct. The BJP criticised the move, questioning Congress's credibility over past impeachment attempts.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has decided on moral grounds that he will not attend the proceedings of the House till the disposal of the no-confidence motion notice against him, according to sources.

This came after Congress submitted a notice of no-confidence motion against Om Birla today.

The speaker has directed the House Secretary-General to review the no-confidence notice against him and take appropriate action, according to sources.

BJP Hits Back at Congress

Earlier, BJP MP Sambit Patra questioned Congress's credibility, citing past impeachment attempts against a Tamil Nadu judge "The Congress Party's Rahul Gandhi and the leaders of the Congress Party have proposed a no-confidence motion on the speaker. Parliament will respond to this. I want to address the Congress and Rahul Gandhi. You are so entitled that you don't feel like following any protocols of the House, and then you say you don't have confidence in anyone," the BJP MP said in a press conference.

In his further attack on the Opposition, he condemned the party for allegedly planning to move an impeachment motion against a Tamil Nadu judge in the Deepam case. "This very Congress Party gave a verdict against a justice in Tamil Nadu regarding the Deepam case. They were also bringing an impeachment against him. The Supreme Court has upheld that yesterday...," Patra accused.

Opposition Cites 'Partisan Conduct'

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi said, "At 1:14 pm today, we submitted a motion for a no-confidence motion against the Speaker under rule 94C rules and procedures."

A total of 118 MPs have signed the notice of no-confidence motion against the Lok Sabha Speaker, according to Congress sources.

Sources said Opposition MPs alleged "blatantly partisan" conduct and that leaders of Opposition parties were not allowed to speak.

Rahul Gandhi's Speech Row

Sources said the notice of motion of no-confidence cited four incidents against the Speaker, including the Opposition's allegation that Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi was not allowed to speak in the House during the discussion on the motion of Thanks to the President's Address. Gandhi cited General MM Naravane's unpublished memoir to discuss the 2020 standoff against China. (ANI)

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