A day after Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla mentioned about Emergency in his acceptance speech, Congress MP KC Venugopal has written to him dubbing his reference to the Emergency as “deeply shocking” and “unprecedented”.
In his letter addressed to the Speaker on Thursday, Venugopal, who is also the Congress general secretary (organisation), said, “Making such a political reference from the Chair is unprecedented in the annals of parliamentary history.”
“I am writing this in the context of a very grave matter impacting upon the very credibility of institution of Parliament. Yesterday that is 26 June 2024, at the time of offering felicitations on your election as Speaker Lok Sabha, there was a general camaraderie in the House as such occasions generate,” Venugopal said in his letter.
“However, what followed thereafter, which is reference from the Chair after your acceptance speech, in regard to declaration of Emergency half a century ago, is deeply shocking. Making of such a political reference from the Chair is unprecedented in the annals of history of Parliament. This coming from the Chair as one of the ‘first duties’ from a newly elected Speaker assumes even graver proportions. I, on behalf of Indian National Congress, express our profound concern and anguish over this travesty of Parliamentary traditions,” he added.
The sharp reactions came from Congress a day after Birla, shortly after taking charge as Speaker, read out a resolution condemning the imposition of the Emergency on the night of 25-26 June 1975, calling it an “attack” on the Constitution by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
This act triggered strong protests from Congress members in the House.