Trinamool Congress (TMC) Member of Parliament Abhishek Banerjee, on Tuesday has outlined specific conditions for his party to support the no-confidence motion against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, initiated by the Congress. While several opposition parties have already endorsed the motion, TMC has withheld its signature, advocating for a more measured approach before escalating to such a drastic step.
The no-confidence motion, tabled by Congress MPs, accuses Birla of partisan conduct, including allegedly preventing Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi from speaking during debates and handling house proceedings in a biased manner. Sources indicate that parties like the Samajwadi Party, DMK, and RJD have signed on, providing the requisite support to formally submit the notice. However, TMC's reluctance stems from a desire to first exhaust dialogue options, reflecting internal debates on opposition strategy during the ongoing Budget Session.
Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Banerjee emphasised the need for tolerance and restraint, drawing inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi's ideology. "Our ideology should embody the tolerance preached by Mahatma Gandhi," he remarked, urging that confrontation be a last resort. He proposed that the opposition first issue a formal notice to the Speaker, outlining key grievances and granting him three days to address them. If unmet, TMC would then join the no-confidence effort without hesitation.
The four points in the proposed notice, as detailed by Banerjee, include:
Reversal of suspensions imposed on opposition Congress MPs.
Allowing the Leader of Opposition adequate time to speak in the House.
Addressing false accusations levelled against women MPs.
Ensuring impartial functioning of the Chair to maintain parliamentary decorum.
"We believe in giving the Speaker an opportunity to rectify these issues, lets give him three days and by Friday if he doesn’t do course correction then we will support the motion” Banerjee added, noting that the House had been adjourned prematurely on multiple occasions without proper oversight. He stressed that this step aligns with democratic principles, avoiding immediate escalation that could further disrupt proceedings.
The motion comes amid heightened tensions in the Lok Sabha, where opposition members have protested against what they term as "blatantly partisan" rulings by Birla. Congress leaders have cited instances where references to unpublished documents were disallowed, and adjournments were called amid uproar, limiting debate on critical issues like the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address.
Speaker Birla has directed the Lok Sabha Secretary General to examine the no-confidence notice and report back, indicating procedural scrutiny ahead. With the Budget Session underway, the outcome could impact opposition unity and parliamentary functioning in the coming days. TMC's conditional stance has sparked discussions on whether this reflects broader divisions or a tactical play to negotiate better terms. As of now, the party remains open to signing if the Speaker fails to act within the stipulated timeframe, potentially tipping the scales in the opposition's favour. “Don’t misconstrue our stand, we are with INDIA bloc but we are proposing to first exhaust the options that aligns with tolerance and then move the motion, otherwise what difference will there be between us and the BJP” Banerjee asked.
