Om Birla less than pleased as MP cites foreign precedent on SPG Bill
Discussions on the Special Protection Group (Amendment) Bill, which seeks to change the rules governing security cover for former prime ministers and their families, set the stage for pure entertainment in the Lok Sabha Wednesday.
During the debate, BJP MP Satya Pal Singh cited foreign countries “like England and China” to argue that special security covers are only for incumbent leaders and never misused abroad.
The comparison did not go down very well with Speaker Om Birla, who asked Singh to concentrate on “what happens in India”.
“China aur England kyu, apne hindustan ki baat karo. Apan ko toh Bharat ki kanoon se chalna hai (Why China and England? Talk about what happens in India. We have to go by Indian laws),” he said.
Singh, however, went on, asking Birla why he did not make the same comment when Manish Tewari of the Congress offered a similar argument and argued that the US Secret Service guarded former presidents for life.
“Aapne Manish Tewariji ko toh kuch nahi kaha (You did not say anything to Manishji),” he said.
To this, Birla replied, “Manish Tewariji ne galat kia tha, aap mat karo (Maneesh was wrong. You should not do it).”
The SPG Bill, which follows the government’s decision to revoke SPG cover from Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and their family, as well as Manmohan Singh, has been vociferously opposed by the party. The Congress has said all leaders who have served as prime ministers and their family members should have an SPG cover for life.
When Speaker Om Birla left the House in chuckles
During the same debate, members of the House cracked up as Speaker Om Birla struggled to pronounce the name of All India Trinamool Congress MP Sudip Bandopadhyay in one go.
“Why did you slow down while pronouncing my second name?” Bandopadhyay asked. “Can’t you take my name at one go.”
To this, Birla had an instant comeback. “Shaleenta se naam lena padta hai. Aap varisht sadasyaa hain. (You are a senior parliamentarian. I need to take your name with utmost respect).”
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