Congress women MPs Write to Om Birla on 'defamatory remarks'

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Congress women MPs letter, Om Birla controversy, Lok Sabha Speaker allegations, Rahul Gandhi denied speech, Opposition rights Parliament, INDIA alliance suspension, parliamentary democracy India

By TRH news Desk

New Delhi, February 9, 2026 — A group of women Members of Parliament from the Indian National Congress has written a strongly worded letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, accusing him of making “false, baseless and defamatory allegations” against Opposition women MPs and of presiding over a systematic denial of parliamentary rights to the Opposition.

The letter, signed by Congress MP S. Jothimani and addressed to the Speaker in his capacity as the constitutional custodian of the House, alleges that the Speaker was compelled by the ruling party to issue statements maligning women MPs following disruptions during the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address.

The MPs claimed that for four consecutive days, the Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, was not allowed to speak in the Lok Sabha, in violation of established parliamentary convention, which mandates that the Opposition be heard before the Prime Minister’s reply.

The letter further alleges selective disciplinary action by the Chair, stating that eight MPs from the INDIA alliance were suspended, while a BJP MP was allowed to make “vulgar and obscene” remarks against former Prime Ministers without facing action.

According to the Congress MPs, when they met the Speaker seeking justice and disciplinary action against the BJP member, he initially acknowledged that a “grave mistake” had occurred but later indicated that he was awaiting the government’s response, raising concerns about his independence and authority as Speaker.

The MPs also referred to the scheduled appearance of the Prime Minister in the Lok Sabha at 5 pm on the following day, which they said did not take place amid Opposition protests. Subsequently, the Speaker issued a statement defending the Prime Minister’s absence and allegedly levelled accusations against Congress women MPs.

Describing the allegations as an attack on their integrity, the MPs asserted that their protests were peaceful and within democratic norms, and that questioning their conduct amounted to an assault on women’s dignity in public life. They accused the ruling party of targeting them for demanding accountability from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The letter warned that history would judge whether the Chair defended parliamentary democracy or yielded to political pressure.