First Session of 18th Lok Sabha: Om Birla Re-elected as Speaker, Rahul Gandhi’s Remarks Spark Debate

The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha, which started on June 24 and ended on July 2, was highly productive, achieving 103% productivity in seven sittings. Speaker Om Birla announced that the session lasted for about 30 hours and 40 minutes, with 539 members taking the oath.

Key Events

On June 26, Om Birla was re-elected as Speaker through a voice vote. Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced the Council of Ministers, and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was appointed as Leader of Opposition.

Debates and Discussions

The session included a lengthy discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address, lasting over 18 hours with 68 members participating. Rahul Gandhi’s speech accused the BJP and RSS of spreading violence, which led to protests from BJP leaders, including PM Modi, Amit Shah, and Rajnath Singh.

Controversies

BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj filed a notice against Rahul Gandhi’s speech, citing inaccuracies. PM Modi responded by accusing the opposition of falsely labeling Hindus as violent. He also criticized the Congress for not accepting their electoral defeat.

Conclusion

The session concluded with the adoption of the motion of thanks to the President’s address. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh condemned the opposition’s behavior, supported by Home Minister Amit Shah. The BJP-led NDA formed its third successive government, winning 293 seats, while the opposition INDIA bloc won 243 seats.