New Delhi, March 9: Parliamentary proceedings reached a standstill on Monday as the government and opposition sparred over the legislative agenda. While the House was slated to debate a no-confidence motion against Speaker Om Birla, the session was instead dominated by loud protests and walkouts regarding the ongoing war in West Asia.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju accused the opposition of lacking ethics, noting that they were obstructing a debate on a resolution they themselves had brought forward. “First they brought a no-confidence motion against the Speaker, then when that was accepted, they gave another notice for a different discussion,” Rijiju stated.
Outside the House, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and other senior leaders staged a protest, accusing the Prime Minister of avoiding a debate on the international crisis. In response, treasury benches maintained that the government had already provided a comprehensive update through the External Affairs Minister.
“We continue to believe that dialogue and diplomacy should be pursued to de-escalate tensions,” Dr. Jaishankar declared in his statement, though his words were largely drowned out by sloganeering. Analysts asserted that the government is unlikely to grant a full debate on the matter, citing the suo moto statement as sufficient.
The resolution against the Speaker is now expected to be prioritized on Tuesday. Officials asserted that the delay has further strained the relationship between the ruling coalition and the opposition during the critical second phase of the Budget session.
