NEW DELHI: Prime Minister
Narendra Modi
on Wednesday extended his congratulations to
Om Birla
on being re-elected as the
Lok Sabha Speaker
.
In his first address to the 18th Lok Sabha,
PM Modi
expressed his delight, stating, “Respected Speaker, it is the good fortune of the House that you are occupying this Chair for the second time. I congratulate you and the entire House.”
The appointment of the Speaker became an intriguing affair as the INDIA bloc nominated K Suresh as their candidate, resulting in an election for the first time in decades.
Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the opposition, also conveyed his best wishes to Birla and joined Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju and PM
Modi
in accompanying him to the chair.
Here’s what PM Modi said:
- During his speech, PM Modi praised Birla’s demeanor, remarking, “Your sweet smile keeps the entire House happy”.
- The Prime Minister highlighted the significant achievements made by the House under Birla’s chairmanship, surpassing the progress made in the 70 years since independence. “The works that didn’t happen during 70 years of independence, were made possible by this House under your chairmanship. Several milestones come in the long journey of democracy. A few occasions are such when we receive the opportunity to establish milestones. I am very confident that the country will be proud of the achievements of the 17th Lok Sabha,” he said.
- PM Modi emphasized the importance of this milestone in the journey of democracy and expressed confidence that the country would take pride in the accomplishments of the 17th Lok Sabha.
- PM Modi acknowledged the responsibility bestowed upon Birla as he assumed the role of Speaker for the second time during the Amrit Kaal. He expressed hope that Birla’s experience would guide the House for the next five years. “I want to congratulate you on behalf of the House. It is a huge responsibility for you to sit on this post for the second time during the Amrit Kaal. With your experience, we hope that you will guide us for the next 5 years. ‘Aapke chehre par yeh meethi meethi muskaan poore Sadan ko prasann rakhti hai’,” he said.
- PM Modi emphasized the importance of members’ conduct and accountability in strengthening people’s faith in parliamentary democracy. He commended the previous Lok Sabha for achieving a productivity rate of 97 per cent, the highest in the past 25 years.
