The Opposition's no-confidence motion against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla ended, as expected, in a defeat -- but not before considerable fireworks in the lower house today. It was Union Home Minister Amit Shah's digs at the Leader of the Opposition -- Congress's Rahul Gandhi - that set off an unprecedented, unstoppable stream of protests from the Opposition benches.
"Sir, they are talking about conduct. When their supreme leader himself winks, goes and hugs the Prime Minister, and blows a flying kiss, sir, this shows he's provoking," Shah had said. Within seconds, the Opposition leaders were on their feet, accusing the minister of using "unparliamentary language".
The voice vote took place as the raucous slogan-shouting continued.
Read: "You Wink, Blow Kisses": Amit Shah Counters Rahul Gandhi On Speaker's Conduct
The numbers were stacked up against the opposition from the beginning - the Opposition has only 238 MPs, of whom 99 are from the Congress and the rest from the Samajwadi Party, DMK, Trinamool Congress, and others.
The government has the support of 293 MPs -- 240 from the BJP, 16 from the JDU, 12 from the TDP, and other NDA parties, providing sufficient majority.
Pushing the matter in such circumstances made it clear that though the motion officially sought the removal of the Speaker, what the Opposition really wanted was to flag their concerns and have their say in parliament.
In its notice to move a no-confidence motion, the Opposition had accused the Speaker of partisanship - which is not a first. The allegation had surfaced frequently since Birla was appointed and peaked after he started suspending Opposition MPs for unruly behaviour.
This time, during the budget session, he had not allowed Gandhi to read excerpts from an unpublished book by former Army chief General MM Naravane and other Opposition leaders to speak on the matter.
Eight Opposition MPs were also suspended for the entire Budget Session. The Opposition notice also alleged that baseless allegations were made against women MPs, who had gheraoed the seat of the Prime Minister - who was not present in the house at that moment.
Initiating the debate, Congress's Gaurav Gogoi had said the move was meant to be a "responsibility to protect the dignity of the House, not personally against Om Birla".
Part of the Motion, he said, states that the Speaker of the Lok Sabha "has ceased to maintain the impartial attitude necessary to command the confidence of all sections of the House".
"In his partisan conduct, he (Birla) disregards the rights of Members and makes pronouncements and rulings calculated to affect and undermine those rights; and that he espouses the version of the ruling party on controversial matters," he added.
The counter came from Shah, who said the Opposition was trying to take the "high moral ground" when it was their behaviour that earned them the penalties.
Read: "Questioning Speaker's Integrity Means Questioning Our Democracy": Amit Shah
"I want to say that when the Lok Sabha Speaker was elected, leaders of both the sides (the government and the Opposition) supported him... There can be disagreement on any of the decision of the Speaker but the decision of the Speaker is considered to be final... If MPs go to the chamber of Speaker today, there is concern regarding the security of the Speaker," Shah said.
While there were scattered boos during his speech, it was Shah's personal attack on Rahul Gandhi that pushed the Opposition into protest mode. The members trooped into the Well of the House, shouting slogans, prompting Jagdambika Pal, who was in the chair, to announce the voting and wrap up the day's proceedings.
