‘Don’t behave like sore loser': BJP slams opposition on criticism of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday lashed out at the Congress and INDIA bloc over their criticism of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla's remark on Emergency. 

BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya posted on X,"The I.N.D.I Alliance and their extended ecosystem should stop lecturing the Speaker. The position enjoys supreme power over the proceedings of House. You contested the Speaker election and lost. Don’t behave like a sore loser. If you want to fight the lion, have some courage. It is just the beginning."

Former Union minister and senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad too hit out at the grand old party over its leaders' remark on Birla. 

Referring to Emergency as "the sin of the murder of democracy", Prasad asked, "Why should not this black chapter in the Indian democracy be discussed."

After being elected as the Lok Sabha Speaker through a voice vote, Om Birla had condemned the Emergency imposed by then prime minister Indira Gandhi in 1975. 

"June 25, 1975 will always be known as a black chapter in the history of India. On this day, then prime minister Indira Gandhi imposed Emergency in the country and attacked the Constitution made by Babasaheb Ambedkar," the speaker said.

"Democratic values ​​and debate have always been supported in India. Democratic values ​​have always been protected, they have always been encouraged. Indira Gandhi imposed dictatorship on such an India. The democratic values ​​of India were crushed and freedom of expression was strangled," Birla added. 

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On Thursday, leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and a group of opposition leaders met Birla, conveying to him that the reference could have been avoided.

Congress general secretary KC Venugopal had said,"We discussed many issues about Parliament. Rahul ji, the LoP, informed him (Birla) that it was a political reference and it could have been avoided."

(With PTI inputs)