Lok Sabha Rejects Motion to Remove Speaker Om Birla
The Lok Sabha witnessed intense drama today as the Opposition’s no-confidence motion against Speaker Om Birla was defeated by a voice vote. Following a heated debate that spanned two days, the ruling NDA alliance rallied behind the Speaker, with Home Minister Amit Shah leading the counter-attack. Shah criticized the Opposition for questioning the “neutrality” of the Chair, asserting that such a move undermines the very foundation of parliamentary democracy.
The Opposition, led by the Congress and the INDIA bloc, had moved the resolution alleging that the Speaker was partisan and frequently suppressed their voices by switching off microphones. During the discussion, Congress leaders argued that the dignity of the House was at stake. However, the motion fell through amidst loud protests and sloganeering, as the Treasury benches maintained that the Speaker had been exceptionally fair in allocating time to all members.
In a separate but related crisis, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a massive rally in Kochi, Kerala, where he reassured the nation regarding the worsening energy shortage. With the West Asia conflict disrupting global supply chains, India is facing a severe crunch in commercial LPG. The PM urged citizens not to panic or believe in rumors, drawing parallels to India’s resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic. He affirmed that the government is prioritizing domestic cooking gas to ensure households remain unaffected.
The LPG shortage has already begun to impact major cities, with reports of restaurants in Delhi and Bhopal scaling back menus due to a lack of commercial cylinders. Several state governments, including Punjab and West Bengal, have criticized the Centre’s handling of the situation. While the government has invoked the Essential Commodities Act to prioritize natural gas for households and vehicles, the political fallout from rising energy prices is becoming a central theme in the upcoming state election campaigns.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court made a landmark ruling today by allowing passive euthanasia for a 32-year-old man in a permanent vegetative state. This is the first practical application of the 2011 Aruna Shanbaug principles. On the diplomatic front, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar held talks with his Iranian counterpart to ensure the safety of Indian students and workers stranded in the region, with the first batch of 100 students expected to return via Armenia later this week.
