Motion of Thanks Passed in Lok Sabha Without PM’s Speech: A First Since 2004

On the seventh day of the budget session, the motion of thanks on the President's address was passed in the Lok Sabha amidst uproar. This is the first time since 2004 that this motion has been passed without a speech from the Prime Minister. Previously, on June 10, 2004, the opposition had prevented then-PM Manmohan Singh from speaking on the motion of thanks.

On Thursday, there was considerable uproar in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. As soon as the Lok Sabha session began, opposition MPs started chanting slogans. The Speaker adjourned the proceedings twice, first within 65 seconds and then again after 5 minutes. The Lok Sabha was scheduled to resume at 2 PM.

In the Rajya Sabha, the uproar was over the issue of preventing Rahul Gandhi from speaking in the Lok Sabha. Mallikarjun Kharge said that Rahul was not allowed to speak about the unpublished book by former Army Chief MM Naravane. He said he wanted to discuss that book in the Rajya Sabha, but the Deputy Chairman stopped him.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju told Kharge, "Rahul Gandhi doesn't follow the rules, why don't you explain them to him?" JP Nadda also told Kharge that he couldn't raise a Lok Sabha issue in the Rajya Sabha. He added, "Don't let Congress become a hostage to an immature child."

Following the uproar, opposition MPs walked out of the Rajya Sabha. According to reports, the Prime Minister may address the Rajya Sabha at 5 PM today.

In the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, when the House proceedings began at 5 PM, women MPs from the opposition surrounded the chairs of the ruling party leaders, including that of PM Modi. The women MPs held large banners that read, "Do what is right."

PM Narendra Modi was scheduled to respond to the motion of thanks, but due to the uproar by the opposition's women MPs, the Lok Sabha was adjourned. This also postponed the PM's address.

Congress MP says: Until Rahul speaks, the PM won't be able to speak either
Suspended Congress MP Manickam Tagore asserted on Thursday that until Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi is allowed to speak in the Lok Sabha, the opposition will not allow Prime Minister Narendra Modi to speak in the House. Tagore criticized the Lok Sabha for passing a motion of thanks on the President's address.

He said, "I don't know about the Rajya Sabha. I am a suspended member of the Lok Sabha. I only know how we function. But until the Leader of the Opposition is allowed to speak, the Prime Minister will also not be allowed to speak."

Sudhanshu said, "Discussions between the Army Chief, the PM, and the Defence Minister cannot be put in the public domain."
MP Sudhanshu Trivedi said that if the Leader of the House has used the word "ignorant," then "knowledge" means understanding. The prefix 'a' is added to denote someone who lacks knowledge. There is no limit to knowledge, and there is no age for ignorance, and the proof of being ignorant is that one doesn't know that substantial evidence on the floor of the House cannot be based on media reports. That person is ignorant. One who doesn't know that the communication between the Army Chief, the Prime Minister, and the Defence Minister cannot be put in the public domain is ignorant.

Sudhanshu Trivedi said that if we are talking about books, then I quote that on November 19, 1962, Jawaharlal Nehru wrote to US President John F. Kennedy, "We need B2 bombers, we need squadrons, which you should lead." At that time, B.K. Nehru, the Indian ambassador to the US, who was Nehru's nephew, wrote in his book "Nice Guys Finish Last," "When I was going to deliver that letter to the President's advisor, I felt so ashamed; we were giving the command of the Air Force to them. I cried." Therefore, one should consider the country's affairs keeping in mind the difference between knowledge and ignorance.