Hope voice of Oppn will be allowed in LS: Rahul
Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi greeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha, in New Delhi on Wednesday
New Delhi: Congratulating Om Birla for being elected Speaker of the Lok Sabha for a second term, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and other opposition MPs on Wednesday hoped they would be allowed to raise the "voice of people" in the House and suspension of MPs will not be done again.
Gandhi also countered the government over claims of high productivity of the Lok Sabha and said the question is not how efficiently the House is run, but how much of India's voice is being allowed to be heard. While the opposition pushed a contest for the post of Speaker by pitching K Suresh against Birla, who was announced elected by a voice vote, Gandhi went and congratulated Birla on the floor of the House. In a democratic spirit and amid clapping from both sides, Gandhi also escorted Birla, soon after he was re-elected as the new Speaker, to the Chair along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju.
He also greeted him and wished him for his new innings. Gandhi said the opposition wanted the House to function "often and well" and added that it was very important that cooperation happens on the basis of trust. Gandhi, who is usually seen wearing a white T-shirt and trousers, was clad in white kurta-pyjama on his first day as Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha.