Meira Kumar vs Om Birla: When Parliament Speaks for People

Spread love

By TRH Op-Ed Desk

Meira Kumar, with her appearance on Saturday in conducting the public impeachment of Gyanesh Kumar, refreshed the old memories when parliament witnessed grueling sparring yet the collective bond to the people stayed unbroken.

New Delhi, November 1, 2026 — Meira Kumar, former Lok Sabha Speaker, while presiding over the public impeachment of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, made a loud message with utmost humility and a smiling face: the House belongs to the people. On her watch, the moot parliament, held at the residence of leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjuna Kharge, also affirmed another adage: the House must hear the Opposition, summed up in the saying that “while the government must have its way, the Opposition must also have its say.”

The contrast is stark and natural. As white shines against the contrast of black, so does the conduct of Meira Kumar against incumbent Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.

Serving his second term, Birla has almost told the country: the House belongs to the government and only the government. On Birla’s watch, the Opposition can well also be said to have been muted. Well, Birla has often been accused of turning off mic of Opposition leaders. Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has made mic-off allegations on several occasions. Birla has denied the charges also many times. But observers, who have not been coloured in the narrative warfare, hardly believe Birla’s clarifications.

Parliament belongs to the people, as they choose their representatives directly and indirectly for both the Houses. Parliament doesn’t belong to babus.

But parliament with Narendra Modi at helm of the government has acted exactly opposite the mandate. Bills are passed without discussions. People’s issues hardly reach the long corridors of parliament.

Unlike the old parliament building, now retired, the new parliamentary complex resembles a suffocating concrete box. The new parliament complex breathes an Orwellian air. MPs cannot freely mix up with visitors or the press. Security bandobust sends parliament far away from the people.

In the good old days, Meira Kumar could have been spotted outside parliament, leisurely interacting with the press and the people when she held the position of the Speaker. Even her successor Sumitra Mahajan inherited an air of access that she exhibited with her conduct. Mahajan also kept smile on her face and wore humility in conducts.

But the political world changed in 2019 for the Lok Sabha. Birla sat on the chair, wearing a stern face and exhibiting a domineering tone. In place of one among the equals, Birla seemed a headmaster of the school per his conduct.

Birla smiles at treasury benches. He scorns at the Opposition. The Chair, thus, tilts to the ruling class.

On his watch, the ruling BJP MP can make any kind of outlandish claims and get away. The Opposition MPs on the other hand have seen their memberships terminated, with victims including even Rahul Gandhi.

Those who covered parliament since the Atal Bihari Vajpayee days recall that the Chair commanded respects from all corners of the House. Meira Kumar, with her appearance on Saturday in conducting the public impeachment of Gyanesh Kumar, refreshed the old memories when parliament witnessed grueling sparring yet the collective bond to the people stayed unbroken.

(This is The Raisina Hills Editorial, written by Manish Anand.)