Opposition lawmakers dropped a political thunderbolt in Lok Sabha by tabling a no-trust motion against Speaker Om Birla, citing chronic bias in an explosive notice to the Secretary General. With 118 MPs on board, including Gaurav Gogoi as mover, the Rule 94(C) proposal leverages constitutional Article 94(C) to challenge Birla’s chairmanship.
Charges are meticulously chronicled: stifling Rahul Gandhi mid-speech on February 2; draconian suspensions of eight dissenters on February 3; kid-glove treatment for a BJP MP’s inflammatory attacks on ex-PMs on February 4; and Birla’s February 5 post-vote outburst accusing opposition of engineered chaos, even hinting at PM deterrence.
Framed as a betrayal of parliamentary custodianship, the motion calls out falsehoods that demean opposition lawmakers. Signatories balance respect for Birla with outrage over gagged representation of citizen grievances. In this Budget Session maelstrom, the initiative amplifies calls for fairness, though slim chances of success underscore its symbolic heft in galvanizing anti-incumbency narratives.