‘Bowed down to PM Modi’: On Rahul’s charge, Birla ‘culture’ reply

In a fiery Lok Sabha speech, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi accused Speaker Om Birla of “bowing down” to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating that those in constitutional positions should put aside personal aspirations. Gandhi claimed Birla’s deference undermined his role as the final arbiter of Indian democracy. The remark sparked uproar, with Home Minister Amit Shah calling it an “insult of the Chair.” Birla defended his actions, citing cultural traditions of respecting elders, while Gandhi insisted the Speaker should bow to no one in the House.