Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla strictly says no to religious chanting in the parliament

New Delhi: Immediately after taking his new charges as the next Lok Sabha Speaker of the country, Om Birla has made it clear that he will not tolerate indiscipline on the grounds of the Lok Sabha and will also take strict action against the ones who disrespect the parliament and breaks the rules. Right after taking the major responsibility of the Lok Sabha speaker, Birla announces that no repeat of the chanting of religious slogans will be allowed in the Lok Sabha.

Speaking in an interview, Birla said that the pro tem speaker Virendra Kumar did the right thing by expunging the calls from treasury benches that confronted MPs including United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi, All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen leader Asaduddin Owaisi and Trinamool Congress MPs.

Birla states, “I don’t think Parliament is the place for sloganeering, for showing placards, or for coming to the well. There is a road for that where they can go and demonstrate. Whatever people want to say here, whatever allegations they have, however they want to attack the government they can, but they can’t come to the gallery and do all this.’’

The 56-year-old new speaker further assures of no repetition of heckling in the Lok Sabha. he also adds the decision of allowing or not allowing chants in the Lok Sabha will depend on the circumstances. Terming the Parliament as a temple of democracy, he adds that this temple always functions by parliamentary rules. He thereby requested all parties to maintain the decorum of the place. India, being the largest democracy in the world, is looked up by everyone and hence, the parliamentary procedures should be practiced in a way that it sets an example for the world.

Before this, taking the new charges Om Birla thanked all the members of the House for reposing faith in him. He said, the Chair of the Speaker should be impartial and assured all the members to give fair opportunities to them. Earlier, leaders of all the political parties congratulated Birla for being chosen as the Speaker and assured their support for the smooth functioning of the House. Later, the Prime Minister also introduced the members of Council of Ministers to the House.

Also read: BJP MP from Kota Om Birla likely to become the new Speaker of the Lok Sabha