In a House divided, Speaker OM Birla emerges with praise from both sides

While Opposition members have criticised the government’s purported “rush” to “push through” Bills without granting the proposed laws a chance to be scrutinised in standing or select committees, as the opening session of the 17th Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die on Tuesday, MPs from across parties also agreed that the new Speaker, Om Birla, has successfully lowered the heat in a House with a high level of acrimony and deep division by giving space to all MPs.

A big pat on the back for Birla came on the floor of the House when Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, leader of main opposition Congress, lauded him for “listening to the Opposition.”

Chowdhury also said he wants Birla to emerge as the best Speaker among the Commonwealth countries.

RSP member N K Premachandran said Birla, a second-term MP from Kota (Rajasthan), is making efforts to accommodate everyone — especially first-time MPs — “without looking at party affiliations”.

Premachandran pointed out that it is not easy for new MPs to get the opportunity to participate in a discussion in the beginning of a Lok Sabha, and that some members in the past did not get a chance even after two years. “Breaking that (tradition), almost all members were given a chance to speak (in this session) — either in debates or during Zero Hour. He also gave a chance for the Opposition to speak — whether the matter is pursued by the government or not, the MPs got opportunity to place their views. That’s why the House ran smoothly,” the MP from Kollam, Kerala, said.

In his valedictory address on Tuesday, Birla said that the Lower House had 37 sittings over 280 hours, of which 75 hours were late sitting, and took up 1,066 issues of urgent public importance. Birla’s decision for late sittings, members pointed out, were meant primarily to give MPs a chance to raise issues they felt were important.

BJP MP Kirit Premjibhai Solanki said that despite the fact that the BJP has a majority on its own in Lok Sabha, and the NDA has 353 MPs, the House runs “very positively and the Opposition also cooperates” primarily because of the Speaker’s role. “He started the practice of allowing as many MPs to speak during Zero Hour as is possibly — the House (often) got extended for that,” he said.

In the end, Solanki said, MPs feel satisfied and happy, which is a good sign for a healthy democracy.

Besides efficiency, Birla is also seen as having made efforts to bring more decorum and discipline to the House. He regularly reminded that no MP can make comments or ask questions while seated, or without giving a notice. He also urged ministers not to respond to questions that come without prior notice.

He also repeatedly warned members from the Treasury benches not to make personal comments on any MP. On July 16, when BJP’s S P Singh Baghel made a remark against Congress’s Shashi Tharoor during Question Hour, Birla immediately intervened and expunged the comments. “No member should make any comment on other members,” he said, drawing applause from the Opposition benches.