Lok Sabha speaker election: Hope voice of opposition will be allowed in Lok Sabha, says Rahul Gandhi

Pic/PTI

Congratulating Om Birla for being elected speaker of the Lok Sabha for a second term, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said he hoped the Opposition would be allowed to raise the voice of people in the House, reported news agency PTI.

He also said the Opposition wanted the House to function "often and well" and added that it was very important that cooperation happens with trust.

"I'd like to congratulate you for your successful election... I congratulate you on behalf of the entire INDIA alliance. This House represents the voice of people of India... Of course the government has political power, but the opposition also represents the voice of India's people," the Congress leader said, reported PTI.

"The opposition would like to assist you in your work. I am confident you will allow us to speak in House," he said, reported PTI.

Pointing out that this time the opposition represents significantly more voices of the Indian people than last time, Rahul Gandhi stressed that it was very important that the voice of opposition is allowed to be represented in the House.

"I am confident that you will allow us to represent our voice, allow us to speak, to represent voice of people of India," he said, reported PTI.

The question, he said, is not how efficiently the House is run, the question is how much of India's voice is allowed to be heard in the House.

"The idea that you can run the House efficiently by silencing the voice of opposition is a non-democratic idea. This election has shown that the people of India expect the opposition to defend the Constitution of this country and we are confident that by allowing Opposition to speak, you will do your duty of defending the Constitution of India," the Congress MP said, reported PTI.

After the Lok Sabha speaker election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday congratulated Om Birla on his re-election as Lok Sabha Speaker, expressing confidence that he will guide parliamentarians and play a big role in the House fulfilling people's expectations, reported news agency PTI.

PM Modi and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju were joined by the Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi in escorting Birla, the BJP MP from Kota, to the Speaker's chair after his election, marking a moment of bipartisan harmony after a day of rancour between the ruling alliance and opposition parties over the Lok Sabha speaker election, reported PTI.

Congratulating him on his fresh term on behalf of the entire House, the prime minister lauded the third-term MP for his conduct as Speaker in the previous Lok Sabha and also as a parliamentarian, reported PTI.

PM Modi said Birla presided over a golden era in Lok Sabha's history as a number of historic decisions were taken during its previous term. Noting that he is the first Speaker after Balram Jakhar, who was in the Chair between 1980 and 1989, to get another term after serving a full tenure, the prime minister expressed confidence that he will continue to create new bench marks, reported PTI.

The previous Lok Sabha notched up to 97 per cent productivity, highest in 25 years, he said, adding that Birla ensured the House's functioning even during the Covid period and maintained its dignity and decorum, at times by taking difficult decision, reported PTI.

Birla's sweet smile keeps the House happy, he said.

In over the last two decades, outgoing speakers either did not contest elections or lost in the poll, PM Modi said, adding Birla created history in this sense as well, reported PTI.

(With inputs from PTI)