The Congress on Monday claimed that there "is no space for opposition" in the Lok Sabha and responded to reports that the opposition may move a motion of no confidence against Speaker Om Birla, saying "wait for action". Congress MP K C Venugopal alleged that Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leader are not being allowed to air their views in the Lower House, while the government side can state whatever they want and even make "derogatory remarks" against the opposition member. Asked about reports that Opposition may move motion of no confidence against speaker Birla, Venugopal said, "You see what is happening in Parliament. You can see in this session, the Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, is not being allowed to speak anything in this House." "The government side can speak anything. They can attack anybody, speak derogatory things, even against those who are not alive. The Speaker is making allegations against Congress women MPs. There is no space for opposition in this house at all," Venugopal told reporters in Parliament House complex.
"Whether it is the LoP or other opposition leaders, they are not being allowed to speak. This type of attitude toward the opposition has not been there at any time," he said. On whether the opposition will seek to move such a motion, Venugopal said "after action you will get to know", and added that the entire opposition is united. "Cannot comment on reports, wait for action," he said. Venugopal's remarks come after a meeting of opposition floor leaders in Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's chamber in Parliament House complex this morning to decide on a joint strategy for the next few days.
In an unprecedented development, the Lok Sabha passed the Motion of Thanks on Thursday last without the prime minister's customary reply that was scheduled a day earlier in the face of relentless sloganeering by opposition members. An anguished Lok Sabha Speaker last Thursday said he had "concrete information" that many Congress members might move towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi's seat and carry out "some unexpected act" as a result of which he had requested him not to come to the House to reply to the discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President's address. As the Lower House reassembled at after three adjournments on Thursday, Birla said if this incident had taken place, then this would have left the democratic traditions of the country in "shreds". Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had told reporters in Parliament House complex that day that it was an "absolute lie" that there was any plan to hurt Modi. She also alleged that Prime Minister Modi was "hiding behind" the Speaker.