A fierce exchange took place between Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi and Om Birla after the latter was re-elected as the Speaker of Lok Sabha.
While congratulating Birla, Mehdi said, " "I congratulate you on being re-elected as Speaker. After this, I request you that from today onwards, you are neither from BJP, nor from Congress, nor from Samajwadi Party. From today onwards, you have only one party and that is the Constitution of India. I hope from today onwards, you will be its custodian."
Mehdi, however, went on to criticise the speaker, reminding him of his past actions while acting out as the custodian of the Lok Sabha.
"In this House which is called the largest assembly of democracy. Here there will be examples of democracy, you will be remembered by whether you forced the ruling party to listen to the opposition or you silenced the opposition. You will be remembered when a Muslim MP was called a terrorist in the public, because he is a Muslim, how did you silence that illegitimate voice? Or did you allow those voices to rise. If an MP who is elected by the public can be called a terrorist in this House, then those Muslims can also be called terrorists on the streets."
The Lok Sabha speaker then tried to pacify Mehdi and extended the proceedings of the House, saying that today is the first day of this session.