Congress plans motion against speaker for ‘bias’

Congress plans motion against speaker for ‘bias’

The party is likely to go ahead only after consulting other Opposition parties and if they are in agreement with the decision; Lok Sabha again fails to function after protests over Adani issue.

The Lok Sabha failed to function on Tuesday as Opposition MPs wearing black trooped into the Well of the House shouting slogans and throwing papers at the Speaker’s chair.

A section of Congress MPs, at a meeting held on Monday, mulled over moving a resolution against the Speaker for being “unfair” to the Opposition, sources said.

However, the sources said that a decision on the no-confidence motion against the Speaker would be taken only after consulting all Opposition parties and if they are in agreement.

Senior leaders like Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury will be speaking to other parties on the matter. The Hindu has learnt that Mr. Chowdhury is yet to start a discussion on the subject.

14-day notice

The no-confidence motion against the Speaker would be moved for his alleged bias against the Opposition including the speed with which Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was disqualified after his conviction by a Gujarat court in a criminal defamation case. Such a motion, however, needs the signature of at least 50 MPs and a 14-day notice. The Congress, at present, has 51 MPs in the Lok Sabha. The Budget session is scheduled to end on April 6.

Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha was adjourned within seconds of assembling in the morning at 11 a.m. as Congress MPs S. Jothi Mani and Ramya Haridas tore order papers and threw them towards the Speaker’s chair. Another Congress MP T.N. Prathapan hurled a black scarf but it was blocked by a marshal.

The Opposition MPs trooped into the Well shouting slogans on the Adani issue. Some of them were also seen carrying placards.

When the House reconvened at 2 p.m., similar scenes were witnessed as the Opposition rushed to the Well demanding a probe by a joint parliamentary committee into the Adani issue.

Papers listed for the day were laid on the table of the House amid the ruckus. Bihar MP Rama Devi, who was in the Chair, adjourned the House for the day.