New Delhi, March 11 After a resolution seeking the removal of Speaker Om Birla from office was defeated in the Lok Sabha, the BJP on Wednesday lashed out at the opposition, saying the "conspiracy" of the Congress and its allies to undermine the dignity of the House could not succeed.
Speaking to reporters in the Parliament House complex, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said Rahul Gandhi was exposed, with Home Minister Amit Shah giving a "very appropriate" response to all the accusations made by the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
Rijiju also thanked all the MPs of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for "firmly" standing by Birla and ensuring the defeat of the resolution against the Speaker.
A move to remove Birla as Speaker was defeated by voice votes on Wednesday in the Lok Sabha, amidst allegations and counter-allegations by the ruling alliance and the opposition. Home Minister Amit Shah tore into the Congress, saying Gandhi's contention that he was not allowed to speak was bogus, as the fact is that he "does not want to speak".
Hailing the defeat of the opposition's resolution, BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters in the Parliament House complex, "The entire conspiracy of the Congress and the opposition to undermine the dignity of the House could not succeed."
In his detailed reply to the debate, Shah made it clear how Gandhi "stages a drama" by making a baseless claim that he is not allowed to speak, the former Union minister said.
"He doesn't know how to speak with patience and humility while following the rules," Prasad added.
Rijiju alleged that the Congress members deliberately created a commotion during Home Minister Shah's reply to the debate.
"Many opposition MPs told me that the Congress was not interested in participating in the vote because they knew that half of the opposition members were not with them. So they had a plan to disrupt the speech of the Home Minister," the parliamentary affairs minister said.
"The Congress was completely exposed during the debate. They would not have brought the resolution against the Speaker if they had any valid and logical reason for doing so," he added.