"Questioning Speaker's Integrity Means Questioning Our Democracy": Amit Shah

Union home minister Amit Shah, speaking during the debate on the Opposition's no-confidence motion against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, said today that "questioning the Speaker's integrity" is the same as questioning the country's democracy -- which is why the BJP has never done it. 

"This Lok Sabha is the biggest panchayat of democracy and when questions are raised about the chief of this panchayat, it raises a big question on our democratic process," he said.

Underscoring that a parliament functions in a cordial environment, he said one is supposed to speak keeping to the rules. 

"If you go against the rules then it is the job of speaker is to intervene. You cannot ever raise doubts on the intention of Lok Sabha speaker. If the Opposition questions the intention of the Speaker, then it is really unfortunate and we condemn this," he said.

"Even we were in Opposition and have always acted according to rules," he added.

Read: Opposition's Numbers Game As Speaker Likely To Face No-Trust Motion Today

The Opposition, in its notice to move a no-confidence motion, had accused the Speaker of partisan behaviour, citing how the Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and other Opposition leaders were not allowed to speak in the House and eight Opposition MPs were suspended for the entire Budget Session. The notice also alleged that baseless allegations were made against the women MPs. 

Gandhi had not been allowed to read excerpts from an unpublished book by former Army chief General MM Naravane. He later wrote to the Speaker, alleging that he was deliberately stopped from speaking in response to President's address on a matter of national security, which was very much a part of the President's address. 

Read: "Blot On Democracy": Rahul Gandhi Writes To Speaker After Parliament Chaos

"Preventing me from speaking in the Lok Sabha today... gives rise to a serious concern that there is a deliberate attempt to prevent me, in my capacity as the Leader of the Opposition, from speaking on matters of national security," he wrote.

Today, accusing the Opposition of trying to take the "high moral ground" which they did not deserve, Shah said it was the Opposition's own behaviour that earned them the penalties.

"Even we were in the opposition and have always acted according to rules. You tear papers and throw it at the Speaker.. is this how you want to run this house? What kind of behaviour is this?? Women MPs from Opposition gheraoed the chair of the Prime Minister... one should know that a chair is chair," he said. 

"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.