'Allow voice of Opposition...': Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi urges LS Speaker Om Birla
PTC Web Desk: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, in his first speech as Leader of Opposition of the 18th Lok Sabha, congratulated BJP's Om Birla on his re-election as Lok Sabha Speaker.
Gandhi stated that the Lok Sabha Speaker is the final arbiter of the people's voice and that the Opposition now represents that voice far more than the 17th Lok Sabha.
Rahul Gandhi, dressed in a white kurta pyjama, spoke as the Leader of the Opposition, saying, "I'd like to congratulate you on your successful election for the second time. I want to congratulate you on behalf of the entire Opposition and the INDIA alliance."
"This House represents the voice of the Indian people, and you are the ultimate arbiter of that voice. The government wields political power, but the opposition also represents the voice of the Indian people and this time, the opposition represents significantly more of the Indian people than it did the previous time," the Congress MP stated.
Rahul Gandhi also assured the Speaker on behalf of the entire opposition that he would assist the Speaker in carrying out the functions of the House.
"The opposition would like to assist you with your work. We would like the House to function regularly and effectively. Cooperation must be built on trust. It is critical that the Opposition's voice be heard in this House," Rahul Gandhi stated.
"We are confident that by allowing the Opposition to speak and allowing us to represent the people of India, you will fulfil your duty to defend the Indian Constitution," he added.
Om Birla, a National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate and MP from Kota, was elected Speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha after Prime Minister Narendra Modi moved the motion, which was seconded by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The motion was approved by the House via a voice vote.
- PTC NEWS
