“He says something but does the exact opposite of it…”: Rahul Gandhi Slams PM Modi's 'Contradictory Actions' on Speaker and Deputy Speaker Posts

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Tuesday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, suggesting that Modi's actions contradict his calls for cooperation from the Opposition regarding the Lok Sabha Speaker's post. Gandhi emphasized that the Opposition's INDIA bloc would support the BJP-led NDA government's nominee for Speaker, but only if they were granted the Deputy Speaker's position. He mentioned that BJP's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had discussions with Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge to seek consensus between the government and the Opposition. However, Singh has yet to respond to the Opposition's request regarding the Deputy Speaker's role.

"The Prime Minister has urged constructive cooperation from the Opposition. It is customary that the deputy Speaker position is held by the Opposition," said Gandhi, expressing his disappointment that Singh had not yet responded. “The convention is the deputy speaker should be given to the opposition. Rajnath Singh said he will get back to Kharge ji. But he hasn’t as yet. We have no problem with them selecting the speaker but the deputy speaker should be given to us. Modi talks of cooperation but does the exact opposite of that. That’s his character,” he added.

Gandhi also criticized PM Modi, questioning the sincerity of his intentions. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not appear to genuinely seek constructive cooperation," said Rahul Gandhi. "We have clearly stated our willingness to fully support the Speaker election if established conventions are followed,” the Rae Bareli MP stated.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led NDA alliance has put forward Om Birla as their nominee for the Lok Sabha Speaker's post, a role he previously held during the 17th Lok Sabha. On the other hand, the INDIA alliance, led by the Congress party, has nominated K Suresh for the same position. Historically, Speakers have been elected unanimously in such proceedings. Notably, the position of the Deputy Speaker has remained vacant since 2019. The election for the Speaker's post is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, June 26.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday took the oath as a member of the 18th Lok Sabha. Prior to entering the Lok Sabha, he underscored the significance of the recent election, noting, "This election has become immensely significant because, for the second time after independence, the people of the country have given an opportunity to a government to serve continuously for the third time. This occasion has come after 60 years, marking a momentous event in itself." Modi emphasized that the people's choice of a government for a third consecutive term signifies their endorsement of its intentions and policies. He added, "While a government requires a majority to govern, consensus is essential to run the country. Therefore, our continuous effort will be to serve Mother India, taking everyone along, fulfilling the aspirations of 1.4 billion citizens."

The Opposition leaders earlier that day had protested outside Parliament by holding copies of the Constitution. They objected to the BJP's appointment of Bhartruhari Mahtab as pro-tem Speaker, which they claimed deviated from established norms. The Congress party argued that traditionally, the senior-most MP assumes the pro-tem Speaker role, highlighting that K Suresh was overlooked for the temporary post.​