No-confidence motion against Om Birla: not personal but about parliamentary dignity, says Gogoi

Framing the no-confidence motion against Om Birla as an attempt to preserve the dignity of Parliament and safeguard the Constitution, Congress on Tuesday launched a blistering attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA government, raising issues ranging from the situation in Ladakh to questions surrounding the Jeffrey Epstein files.

Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Congress deputy leader Gaurav Gogoi said the motion was not directed against Birla personally “or his chair,” but against what he described as the “weaponisation of Parliament” under the present regime.

Gogoi alleged that microphones in the House had increasingly become instruments of control, frequently switched off to ensure that Opposition voices were not heard.

He accused the Speaker of repeatedly interrupting Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition, when he attempted to raise key issues, including the proposed India–US trade deal.

“In February, when the LoP spoke on the motion of thanks to the President’s address, he was stopped at least 20 times. The Speaker, the Chair, the parliamentary affairs minister, the defence minister, the home minister and others interrupted the proceedings. All that the LoP wanted to know was why the then Army chief was told by the government, ‘Jo uchit samjho woh karo [do whatever you deem appropriate],’” Gogoi said, referring to remarks attributed to former Army chief Manoj Naravane in his unpublished memoir.

It is worth recalling here that Rahul Gandhi had attacked Modi government over the handling of the 2020 China–India border clashes during the last sitting of the parliament, triggering acrimonious confrontations between the treasury benches and the Opposition.

Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Amit Shah, along with other BJP members, accused the Congress leader of “misleading” Parliament.

Gogoi also widened the attack to the government’s foreign policy, questioning the rationale behind the India–US trade agreement and whether New Delhi had negotiated from a position of strength.

“Why did the Prime Minister support the deal? What kind of pressure was the government under?” he asked, adding, “Was the government under pressure because of the names in the Epstein files and other names that may have surfaced?” His remarks referred to documents, images, videos and emails linked to the network of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, which have fuelled global speculation about influential individuals associated with him.

The 10-hour debate on the motion began after Congress MP Mohammed Jawed moved the resolution. BJP MP Jagdambika Pal, who presided over the proceedings, announced that ten hours had been allotted for the discussion. Opposition leaders, however, questioned the propriety of Pal chairing the debate, arguing that he is part of a panel nominated by the Speaker himself.

The notice for the no-confidence motion against Birla was submitted by Opposition MPs in February and is backed by more than 100 members.

Under parliamentary rules, at least 50 MPs must stand in support when the Chair calls for backing. If that threshold is met, the motion will be admitted and taken up for debate and voting; if fewer than 50 members support it, the motion will lapse without being formally moved.

While the Opposition has projected the move as a defence of parliamentary norms, the ruling party has dismissed it as a political stunt. The confrontation in the house, reflects the soured relationship between the government and the Opposition, with frequent disruptions, allegations of curtailed debate and disputes over the functioning of parliamentary institutions.

Since Independence, three attempts have been made to remove a Lok Sabha Speaker through no-confidence motion, but none has succeeded. Om Birla who is criticized for being partisan is the fourth Speaker to face such a motion.