PM skipping Motion of Thanks reply in Lok Sabha aimed at protecting ‘dignity’ of office: Rijiju in Patna

Amid the disquiet in the opposition due to the recent passage of the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address unprecedentedly without a reply by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Lok Sabha, the union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju today said that the step was taken to protect the “Dignity and Prestige” of the Prime Minister’s post.

Speaking on the vexed issue, Rijiju told news persons here that, the Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla had suggested to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make a reply on the motion only in the Rajya Sabha and it would be passed by voice vote in the Lok Sabha. He said that protecting the prestige of the house and the post of the Prime Minister in the parliament was the prerogative of the Lok Sabha Speaker.

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“The Speaker had said that he gives ample opportunity in the House to everyone but protecting its dignity and Prestige was his utmost responsibility,” said Rijiju while replying to queries regarding the passage of the motion without a customary reply by the Prime Minister in the Lok Sabha.

“Paralysing the House was a matter of grave concern,” he said, adding that in terms of strength the government has the power and had the opportunity to marshall out the “trouble mongers” but instead of doing so the government wishes to solve any issue through dialogue.
He said that it is better to resolve the matters on the negotiation table through conversations.

Speaking about the issue, he said that nearly 40 to 50 members of the Congress had visited Lok Sabha Speaker in his chamber and spoken “absurd” things which indicated their intention of creating some unprecedented action in the House.
Rijiju said that the Speaker had “credible” information that some members could create an unforeseen incident and to protect the dignity and prestige of the PM’s post and of the House, the Speaker suggested that the Prime Minister should not reply on the motion in the Lok Sabha.

As it is, following the advice of the Lok Sabha Speaker, PM Narendra Modi did not reply to the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address in the Lok Sabha which was passed by the lower house without the customary reply from the Prime Minister.