Growing Acrimony in Parliament and Assemblies A Cause For Concern: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla

The growing acrimony between the treasury benches and the opposition, which was witnessed recently in Parliament has become a cause for concern, said Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. Several incidents of violence in the state assemblies have also come to the fore, adding to the concern, in a thriving democracy like India, he said in Delhi.

Birla chaired the 10th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) India Region Conference in Parliament premises. The two-day conference saw the participation of speakers and deputy speakers from across the country.

While addressing a press conference at the end of the session on day two, Birla said that he had had a discussion about conduct of members during the proceedings of the House at multiple forums with the presiding officers. “There has to be a sense of expressing dissent in a cordial and peaceful manner, keeping in mind India’s value systems and democratic values,” the Lok Sabha speaker said.

The presiding officers play a crucial role in the conduct of the House proceedings, both here in the centre and in states in the assembly. Birla, during the two-day meeting, stressed upon the need to have an effective system of communication in place so that such episodes can be avoided.

It has been seen in the past few sessions, particularly after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, in Parliament, that the opposition parties have taken to agitating in the House. In fact, during the reply to the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address, the opposition shouted slogans and stormed into the well of the House for the entire duration of two hours. In addition, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was speaking, despite several warnings from the Speaker, the opposition MPs did not relent.

In fact, in December 2023, during the winter session of Parliament, in an unprecedented move, more than 100 opposition MPs were suspended from both houses after they demanded probe into the Parliament security breach and PM Modi or Home Minister Amit Shah to make a statement on the floor of the House.

Engaging the opposition, encouraging mutual respect and cooperation, and also ensuring equal participation for the members of the opposition are some of the things that the presiding officers can do to ensure smooth functioning of the house, Birla said. Sources said that Birla spoke to these officials, presenting several of his personal examples.

It may be noted that in 2019, the BJP, in an unprecedented move, had made Om Birla their candidate for the Lok Sabha Speaker post. Birla was convincingly able to win that election. In 2024, the party again propped his name for the same post. With the NDA largely in strength, he was able to once again win the election to the post of the Lok Sabha Speaker.

Apart from the discussion on the vital issue of the proceedings of the House, Birla also urged upon the presiding officers to embrace the use of technology like Artificial Intelligence. While commenting on the efforts of states that have begun the process of digitisation in respective assemblies, he also urged others to adopt this mechanism as the way forward, and as a commitment to India’s one country, one digital platform initiative.

The two-day conference saw the participation of five assembly speakers, 25 deputy speakers and also several chief secretaries and other officials from across the country.