NEW DELHI: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday said he had advised Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to attend the House amid concerns over disorder, citing information that an inappropriate incident could have taken place near the Prime Minister’s chair.Birla said the advice was given when the Prime Minister was scheduled to respond to the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address.”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… If such an incident had occurred, it would have torn apart the democratic traditions of the country. To prevent this, I requested the Prime Minister not to come to the House…” Birla said.His remarks come a day after the Lok Sabha was adjourned shortly after it assembled, following repeated protests by Opposition members who had gathered near the Prime Minister’s seat and in the well of the House.The Speaker said the decision was taken in view of the continued disorder and the possibility that proceedings could deteriorate further if the House continued as scheduled.The Opposition has accused the government of avoiding debate and stalling parliamentary business, while the ruling side has maintained that repeated disruptions have made it impossible to conduct proceedings.
