New Delhi: Congratulating Om Birla for being elected speaker of the Lok Sabha for a second term, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said he hoped the Opposition would be allowed to raise the voice of people in the House.
He also said the Opposition wanted the House to function "often and well" and added that it was very important that cooperation happens with trust.
"I'd like to congratulate you for your successful election... I congratulate you on behalf of the entire I.N.D.I.A. alliance. This House represents the voice of people of India... Of course the government has political power, but the opposition also represents the voice of India's people," the Congress leader said.
"The opposition would like to assist you in your work. I am confident you will allow us to speak in House," he said.
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Pointing out that this time the opposition represents significantly more voices of the Indian people than last time, Gandhi stressed that it was very important that the voice of opposition is allowed to be represented in the House.
"I am confident that you will allow us to represent our voice, allow us to speak, to represent voice of people of India."
The question, he said, is not how efficiently the House is run, the question is how much of India's voice is allowed to be heard in the House.
"The idea that you can run the House efficiently by silencing the voice of opposition is a non-democratic idea. This election has shown that the people of India expect the opposition to defend the Constitution of this country and we are confident that by allowing Opposition to speak, you will do your duty of defending the Constitution of India," the Congress MP said.
—PTI