Siddaramaiah Denounces PM Modi's Silence in Lok Sabha as 'Act of Cowardice'
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his failure to respond to the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address in the Lok Sabha, labeling it an "act of cowardice". In a strongly worded statement posted on social media platform X, Siddaramaiah highlighted that this marks the first instance in India's parliamentary history where the motion was passed without a reply from the Prime Minister.
Unprecedented Departure from Parliamentary Norms
Siddaramaiah emphasized that a Prime Minister who avoids Parliament effectively evades accountability to the nation. He pointed out that the situation was exacerbated by the government's actions, which he described as first silencing the Opposition and then choosing to silence itself. The Chief Minister underscored that Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi was prevented from completing his speech, particularly when he attempted to address critical national security concerns and reference a book by former Army chief General M M Naravane.
Allegations of Evasive Leadership and Partisan Conduct
Referring to assertions in General Naravane's book, Siddaramaiah alleged that PM Modi sought to avoid parliamentary scrutiny of his leadership during the China border crisis. According to the book, Modi's purported instruction to the Army chief was simply, "Jo uchit samjho, woh karo" (do whatever you deem appropriate). Siddaramaiah argued that this denial of the Opposition's voice, which represents a majority of Indians, undermines democratic principles.
Furthermore, Siddaramaiah criticized Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla for what he termed "partisan conduct", accusing Birla of justifying this unprecedented deviation from parliamentary tradition. "The Speaker is meant to defend Parliament, not act as a shield for the executive," he stated, asserting that such actions render Parliament meaningless when the Opposition is muzzled and the Prime Minister absents himself.
Broader Pattern of Weakening Democratic Institutions
Siddaramaiah concluded by framing these developments as part of a larger pattern orchestrated by the BJP and RSS, aimed at weakening Parliament, abusing constitutional offices, and hollowing out India's democratic institutions. He warned that such trends pose a significant threat to the foundational pillars of Indian democracy, calling for greater accountability and adherence to parliamentary conventions to preserve the integrity of the nation's governance structures.
