'Unprecedented': Lok Sabha approves Prez speech without PM's reply

The Congress recalled that on June 10, 2004, then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was prevented by the BJP from speaking on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address.

In an unprecedented development, the Lok Sabha on Thursday passed the Motion of Thanks on the President's address without the customary speech by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, amid vociferous protests by the opposition.

The prime minister was not present in the House when Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla put the amendments moved by the opposition to the Motion of Thanks to vote, which were rejected.

The Speaker then read out the Motion of Thanks to the President for her address to both Houses of Parliament on January 28, which was passed by a voice vote, amid sloganeering by the opposition members.

As the protests continued, the Speaker adjourned the proceedings till 2:00 PM.

Opposition Members Storm the Well

Congress members stormed the Well, carrying posters with PM Modi's picture and 'Narendra-Surrender' slogan written at the top.

Samajwadi Party members too were in the Well, carrying three banners and pamphlets raising the issue of demolitions at the Manikarnika ghat on the river Ganga in Varanasi. The SP banners carried pictures of Rani Ahilyabai Holkar, who had developed the ghats nearly 300 years ago.

Trinamool Congress members were also in the Well joining the protest, while other members of the INDIA bloc, including the DMK and the Left, stood at their seats and in the aisle in solidarity.

'Unprecedented Development'

Constitutional expert P D T Achary termed the passage of the Motion of Thanks on the President's address without the customary reply by the prime minister as an "unprecedented development".

Achary, a former Lok Sabha secretary general, said that in 2004, the then prime minister Manmohan Singh was present in the House, but did not make a speech as per an understanding reached with the then opposition BJP.

"Speaker sir, I learn that there is an understanding among political parties on both sides that the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address be put to vote straightaway and passed unanimously. Therefore, sir, I request you to put the motion to vote," Manmohan Singh had said on June 10, 2004.

Cong recalls Manmohan was prevented from speaking on Prez address in 2004

Earlier, the Congress recalled that on June 10, 2004, then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was prevented by the BJP from speaking on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh posted on X a video of Singh's speech on March 10, 2005, recalling that the then PM had referred to the fact that he was prevented from replying to the Motion of Thanks on June 10, 2004.

On Wednesday night, Ramesh had said that to recall and remind on June 10 2004, the then prime minister was prevented by the BJP from speaking on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address

"On March 10, 2005, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh began his speech on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address thus: 'Mr. Speaker, Sir, I deem it a great privilege to be standing here today to express the gratitude of our Government to the respected Rashtrapatiji for his address to members of both Houses of Parliament.

"'Sir, this is a hard earned privilege for me since I have had to wait out the entire year to perform this happy task. I would like to take this opportunity to doubly thank the President for his Address last year and his Address this year'," Ramesh recalled.