Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla (File photo)

NEW DELHI: Having expressed unhappiness over continued ruckus in Lok Sabha by not being present in the House for two consecutive days, Speaker Om Birla is likely to continue his ‘boycott’ of proceedings until he gets an assurance from all parties on compliance with norms.

Several party delegations including from Congress have called on Birla urging him to preside over the House, but he is likely to stick to his stand of staying away for some more time. He is understood to be particularly peeved with some parties for not adhering to discussions held in his chamber and the “rude” remarks of an opposition MP during a meeting on Tuesday.

Sources close to the Speaker said he was hurt at the way opposition MPs, mainly from Congress, had behaved with him and had repeatedly demeaned the authority of the chair — with the leadership watching on — even as he tried to run the House by taking all parties into confidence.

A senior Lok Sabha secretariat functionary said he had been working since the time of Somnath Chatterjee (2004 to 2009) as Speaker and had not seen the presiding officer not taking part in proceedings. A senior opposition member said it was necessary to keep in mind that the Speaker was bound to facilitate government business even as he was expected to respond to other parties.

“We have gone through records and didn’t come across any example when the Speaker stayed away from the proceedings despite being present in Parliament,” the official said. Sources said another reason that saddened the Speaker was the way the agitating MPs had behaved with secretariat staff.

“Furniture is being damaged, papers are torn and thrown over the secretariat staff including the Lok Sabha secretary, which is unprecedented,” the official said, confirming that the Speaker would take his time to decide when to resume presiding over House proceedings.

Another official said the Speaker agreed that there should be a debate on Delhi riots for two days after Holi, but the reaction of opposition members was unprecedented as they launched personal attacks on Birla.

“One member shouted at the Speaker and approached towards him violently, the Speaker was further hurt to see the tapes of House proceedings,” the official said.

“Moreover, the Speaker held all-party meetings to reach a consensus and there was an understanding that no member will carry placards and cross sides. He made the announcement in the House only after conveying the same in the all-party meeting, still there was no change and floor leaders were inciting rather than trying to calm down them,” the official said.

