Congress MP KC Venugopal writes to LS speaker Om Birla, calls emergency remarks "shocking"

New Delhi: Congress MP KC Venugopal on Thursday wrote a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla over his statement in Parliament regarding the emergency imposed in June 1975. He called it a grave matter that impacts the Parliament's credibility.

"I am writing this in the context of a very grave matter impacting upon the very credibility of the 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," wrote the Congress MP.

Further calling the Lok Sabha Speaker's emergency remark "shocking", he wrote, "However, what followed thereafter, which is a reference from the Chair after your acceptance speech, regarding the declaration of Emergency half a century ago, is deeply shocking. Making such a political reference from the Chair is unprecedented in the annals of the 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 the Indian National Congress, express our profound concern and anguish over this travesty of Parliamentary traditions," the letter concluded.

Speaking to ANI, he said that the political statements from the Speaker's mouth could have been avoided.

"Lok Sabha Speaker officially declared Rahul Gandhi as the Leader of Opposition today. It was a courtesy from Rahul Gandhi to meet and thank him. Political statements from the Speaker's mouth could have been avoided yesterday, this kind of political message will not give a message of cooperation. What was there in the President's address? It was the same as last time. There was nothing new. No expectation for the youth, women, poor, farmers of the country..." the Congress MP told ANI.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Lok Sabha adopted a resolution condemning the Emergency imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi as Speaker Om Birla read out the resolution condemning the act and said that June 25, 1975, will always be known as a black chapter in the history of India.

On the occasion of the completion of 50 years of Emergency imposed in 1975, Birla praised the strength and determination of all those who strongly opposed the Emergency, fought and protected India's democracy.