Govt-opposition LS deadlock: Congress recalls Manmohan Singh was prevented from speaking on President address in 2004

New Delhi: Amid the government-opposition deadlock in the Lok Sabha, the Congress on Thursday recalled that on June 10, 2004, then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was prevented by the BJP from speaking on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh posted on X a video of Singh's speech on March 10, 2005, recalling that the then PM had referred to the fact that he was prevented from replying to the Motion of Thanks on June 10, 2004.

On Wednesday night, Ramesh had said that to recall and remind on June 10 2004, the then prime minister was prevented by the BJP from speaking on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address "On March 10, 2005, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh began his speech on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address thus: 'Mr. Speaker, Sir, I deem it a great privilege to be standing here today to express the gratitude of our Government to the respected Rashtrapatiji for his address to members of both Houses of Parliament.

"'Sir, this is a hard earned privilege for me since I have had to wait out the entire year to perform this happy task. I would like to take this opportunity to doubly thank the President for his Address last year and his Address this year'," Ramesh recalled.

The Lok Sabha on Wednesday witnessed dramatic scenes as women opposition MPs charged towards the prime minister's seat holding banners ahead of his scheduled speech, leading to adjournment of proceedings for the day.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not present in the House, and BJP member P P Chaudhary was making his remarks on the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address when the opposition members trooped into the Well of the House.

Government floor managers had indicated that the prime minister would reply to the discussion on the Motion of Thanks at 5 pm on Wednesday.

When the House met at 5 pm after three adjournments, BJP member Sandhya Rai, who was in the chair, called Chaudhary to make his remarks on the Motion.

Soon, the women members of the Opposition trooped into the Well and made their way to the Treasury benches, protesting against the trade deal with the US and former Army chief M M Naravane's 'unpublished' book.

As opposition members approached the prime minister's seat, the presiding officer adjourned the proceedings for the day.

The prime minister is now expected to speak on Thursday in the Rajya Sabha, where the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address has taken place without any disruption.

It was not immediately clear when the prime minister would speak in the Lok Sabha, as opposition protests are expected to continue. A discussion on the Union Budget has been listed in the Lok Sabha agenda for Thursday.

The face-off between the government and the opposition in Lok Sabha had intensified on Tuesday following the suspension of one CPI(M) and seven Congress members for unruly behaviour for the remainder of the Budget session.