Lok Sabha okays Motion of Thanks sans debate & PM Modi's reply

New Delhi: For the first time, the motion of thanks on the President's address was passed by Lok Sabha without debate and customary reply by the PM as charges and countercharges between Opposition and treasury benches continued unabated.

Speaker Om Birla on Thursday said, "When the prime minister was supposed to respond to the President's address in the House, I received information that several Congress MPs could have created an inappropriate incident near the prime minister's chair... I requested the prime minister not to come to the House... It was my responsibility to uphold its high traditions. It is in no way appropriate for the leader of the House not to speak in the House. By not remaining present and by accepting my request, the leader of the House helped prevent an unpleasant incident from taking place."

Hitting back, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi alleged outside the House that the PM was "hiding behind" the Speaker and termed as "absolute lie" the claim that there was any plan to hurt the PM.


Modi was slated to speak at 5 pm on Wednesday. But when the House reassembled after repeated disruptions, some Congress women MPs had crossed the aisle and moved towards the PM's seat. They were carrying placards. Birla said there should be opposition through words. Many in Congress are intrigued by the PM choosing not to speak in LS, more so since he had spoken more than once in the House amid Opposition protest.

Manmohan Prevented from Replying in 2004: Cong to BJP

As the ruling bench started blaming the Opposition for passing the motion without a debate and reply from the PM, Congress' Jairam Ramesh said: "Let me remind the PM and BJP that on 19th June 2004, Dr Manmohan Singh, the then PM, did not reply to the motion of thanks because he was prevented from replying... In 2005, then PM Dr Manmohan Singh had thanked the President twice, as he could not thank him in 2004. This is BJP's track record."