NEW DELHI: The Congress on Friday used the election of the Rajya Sabha’s Deputy Chairman to criticise the government for leaving a similar post in the Lok Sabha vacant for seven years.
Speaking on the occasion, Leader of Opposition and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge expressed concern that the position of Deputy Speaker in the Lok Sabha has remained unfilled since 2019, noting that this goes against the spirit of Article 93 of the Constitution of India.
“We are concerned that, contrary to the constitutional spirit embodied in Article 93, the post of Deputy Speaker in the Lok Sabha has remained vacant since 2019. It would have been good if, like the Rajya Sabha, the Lok Sabha had also filled this position,” he said.
Kharge said that the Deputy Speaker’s chamber, which has remained locked for the last seven years in Parliament, pains him.
“Whenever I pass through the chamber, I see the lock hanging on that closed room and it pains me. We talk about democracy, yet for seven years a Deputy Speaker in Lok Sabha has not been elected. What does that mean? Everyone talks about democracy, that we will never let democracy die. Yesterday, I heard someone say that many have tried to weaken democracy. But what is this?” the Congress chief said.
Attacking the government further, Kharge said he sees no reason to keep the post vacant for so long.
“If there is no Deputy Speaker in that House for seven years, then what should one call it? This is not right. Fill the post; you may choose whomever you want, but it is a constitutional and institutional position, and you have kept it vacant for seven years. I do not understand why. Would a Deputy Speaker bother you?” he said.
Kharge added that he is troubled by the status quo and said he had even asked the security officers deployed there whether the room would ever be opened.
“Jokingly, I asked the security officer if we have to say ‘Open Sesame’, because the door never opens,” he said.
Conveying his greetings to Harivansh, he said that Opposition members expect to receive special attention and adequate time to speak in the House.