Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge slams Prime Minister Narendra Modi for keeping Deputy Speaker post in Lok Sabha vacant, calls it unconstitutional

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge calls the decision unconstitutional.

Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge strongly criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for keeping the post of Deputy Speaker in the Lok Sabha vacant for a third consecutive term, calling the move ‘undemocratic and unconstitutional’.

“Since Independence, no Prime Minister — except Mr. Modi — has left the Deputy Speaker’s post vacant. He is now in his third term, and the position has remained vacant throughout. The Constitution provides for the election of a Deputy Speaker, and it is customary to appoint someone from the opposition. When we were in power, we appointed a member from the opposition. Mr Modi’s refusal to do so is illegal and undemocratic,” Mr. Kharge said, adding that he had written to the Prime Minister on the matter.

Speaking to media representatives at his residence in Kalaburagi on June 11, Mr. Kharge took aim at Mr. Modi for failing to acknowledge the contributions of previous governments in expanding the railway network in the Kashmir Valley.

“The work to connect the Valley to the Indian mainland via rail was initiated by former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao in the 1990s. It was further advanced by former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee. However, the most significant progress occurred during the UPA government under Dr. Manmohan Singh. As Railway Minister, I allocated substantial funds to Kashmir and the North East. Mr. Modi has merely continued what we had already begun, and considerably did. It is his habit to inaugurate projects initiated by others without giving due credit,” he said.

Responding to queries on the 11-year tenure of the Modi-led NDA government, Mr. Kharge said that Mr. Modi committed 36 wrongdoings in these 11 years.

“I have not seen a Prime Minister who lies so frequently, commits so many mistakes, misleads the public, deceives the youth, and manipulates people for votes as Mr. Modi does. In my 65 years in politics, and 55 years in power, I have never encountered a Prime Minister like him. He does not act without resorting to falsehoods. When questioned about his claims, he offers no answers. He never admits his mistakes, nor does he apologise for them,” he added.