Won't let PM speak till Rahul Gandhi gets chance: Congress MP Tagore

Suspended Congress MP Manickam Tagore declared that the Opposition will block PM Modi from speaking in the Lok Sabha until LoP Rahul Gandhi is allowed to speak, condemning the passing of the Motion of Thanks without the Opposition's participation.

Amid continuous ruckus in the Parliament, Congress suspended MP Manickam Tagore on Thursday asserted that till the time the Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi is not allowed to present his views, the Opposition will not allow Prime Minister Narendra Modi to speak in the House. Tagore condemned the Lok Sabha for passing the Motion of Thanks on the President's address.

"I don't know about the Rajya Sabha. I am a suspended Lok Sabha member. I only know how we operate....But till the LoP is not allowed to speak, the Prime Minister will not be allowed to speak!" Tagore told ANI.

Tagore Criticises 'Silencing the Opposition'

Replying to the Lok Sabha's official X post on the passing of the motion, Tagore criticised the parliament for allowing only BJP members to speak, thereby restricting the Opposition's participation. "What a sad day for Parliamentary democracy in the Lok Sabha. During the discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the Hon'ble President's Address, Opposition leaders were repeatedly denied the opportunity to speak. The Leader of Opposition was not allowed to present the views of crores of Indians, while only ruling party members dominated the proceedings," Tagore wrote on X.

He further expressed strong disappointment and shock over the passing of the motion, without the PM's address. "Shockingly, the Prime Minister himself did not come to participate in the Lok Sabha, yet the Motion of Thanks was pushed through and passed," he wrote further.

Underlining the Parliament's role to provide a platform for "debate, dissent and dialogue," he said that the incident hinders the spirit of the Constitution. Tagore described it as a message from a "suspended MP" and stated that the country deserves better. "Parliament is meant for debate, dissent, and dialogue -- not for silencing the Opposition. Democracy cannot survive when one voice speaks, and all others are muted. This is not just about one party. This is about protecting the spirit of the Constitution and the dignity of Parliament. India deserves better," the post concluded.

Motion Passed Amid Ruckus

The lower House of the Parliament on Thursday passed the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address, even as proceedings were repeatedly disrupted by sloganeering from Opposition members, following which the House was adjourned till 2 pm.

Amid the Opposition's continued sloganeering, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla initiated a voice vote, after which the motion was passed without Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address in the Lower House. PM Modi was expected to reply to the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address on Wednesday; instead, after repeated disruptions and sloganeering by the Opposition members, the Speaker adjourned the Lok Sabha.

The Prime Minister is expected to speak on the Motion of Thanks on the President's address later today in the Rajya Sabha. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)