Om Birla and Abhishek Banerjee
During the discussion on the budget in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, several heated exchanges were seen between Speaker Om Birla and Trinamool Congress member Abhishek Banerjee. Banerjee told the ruling party members, “Tie your seat belts, the weather is going to get worse.” Banerjee was attacking the government from the beginning in his speech and he sharply targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and the 2024-25 budget. When Banerjee was speaking, Dilip Saikia was seated as the presiding officer. As soon as Banerjee’s address began, members of the ruling party and Trinamool got involved in a war of words and when the uproar increased, Birla came to the chair. The Speaker asked both sides to avoid personal remarks and follow parliamentary decorum.
Referring to the alleged failures of the Modi government, Banerjee said that the Prime Minister made three agricultural laws without discussing them in the House, which ultimately had to be withdrawn. He said that there was no discussion with the farmer organizations regarding those laws. On this, Birla interrupted him and said that the honorable member should not make false statements, because there was a discussion of five and a half hours in the House on agricultural laws. On this, Banerjee insisted that there was no discussion on the related bill. On this, the members of the ruling party started uproar. Birla said amidst the uproar, “Let this record be cleared. There was a discussion of five and a half hours in this House…”
‘The president can never say anything wrong, we have all the records’
Abhishek Banerjee said, “There was no discussion on the bill.” To this, Birla said, “When the Speaker speaks, he speaks and he speaks the truth. You correct yourself. When I am speaking, I can never speak wrong.” After this, Banerjee said, “People are clapping in this House, 700 farmers were killed… did they stand up for a minute and pay tribute to them? They are clapping here.” On this, once again the members of the ruling party created a ruckus, then he said, “I am stopping my speech. I am asking a question to the BJP… the minister has to answer this… if any of them (the members of the ruling party creating ruckus) want to answer, (then) any media channel can decide, tell the time, I will come… I challenge them for a debate…” To this, the Speaker said, “You do not challenge, say your point… Challenge outside, not in the House.”
The government is in a fragile state, it can fall anytime- Banerjee
Banerjee also mentioned the demonetisation done in 2016 and the lockdown during the Corona period. She alleged that the Prime Minister created an atmosphere of chaos in the entire country with his unplanned decisions. On this, the Speaker sarcastically said, “Lok Sabha elections have been held twice after 2016. You talk about the budget.”
The speaker also hinted at the BJP-led NDA coming to power in the general elections held in 2019 and 2024. Once again Banerjee took someone’s name, on which the members of the ruling party created a ruckus. On this, the Speaker said that the honorable members should not take the names of those who are no longer members of the House. On this, Banerjee told the Speaker that when the members of the ruling party take the name of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee or the name of the country’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, then the chair does not say anything on it, if someone talks about emergency then the Speaker remains silent. He said that this time the government is in a very delicate condition, which can fall anytime. At the end of his address, he said, “Be patient and tie your seat belt, because the mood of the weather is going to deteriorate.” (With Bhasha inputs)
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