Parliamentary democracy faces a litmus test as Congress women MPs, in a landmark letter to Speaker Om Birla, decry the erosion of opposition rights and vicious smears. Initiated by S Jothimani and backed by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, R Sudha, and others, this Monday dispatch demands a return to fairness.
At stake is the sanctity of proceedings during the President’s speech debate. Established norms allow balanced interventions from treasury and opposition benches before the PM’s rebuttal. Shockingly, Rahul Gandhi was sidelined for four consecutive days—an ‘unprecedented outrage,’ per the signatories.
Disparities glaring: INDIA bloc suspensions on ruling whims, versus tolerance for a BJP MP’s indecent barbs at past leaders. In meetings with Birla, pleas for equity were met with half-measures—he conceded a lapse but deferred to executive clearance, signaling diminished authority.
The climax unfolded with PM Modi’s 5 PM address canned amid protests, breaching protocol. Birla’s subsequent riposte accused Congress women of grave misconduct to justify the snub—a charge they rebut as fabricated to shield governmental failings.
Drawing from personal narratives of resilience against odds, the MPs frame this as broader misogyny and suppression. ‘Our peaceful stance reflects democratic ethos; the PM fled confrontation,’ they assert. As Congress stalwarts upholding human dignity, they reject violence, demanding Birla transcend partisanship.
The letter’s emotional crescendo appeals to his honor: Be the unbiased steward history reveres, not one bowing to forces unraveling India’s democratic fabric.