Parliament is centre of hope for 140 crore Indians: PM Modi

New Delhi, June 26: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday said that the Parliament was the centre of hope for 140 crore Indians and that the 18th Lok Sabha would fulfil the dreams of citizens.

In his address to the 18th Lok Sabha after the election of the Speaker, PM Modi said, “The G20 and particularly the P20 conference of presiding officers and speakers of G20 countries under your (Om Birla’s) leadership have enhanced the reputation of Indian democracy worldwide. Our Parliament is the centre of hope for 140 crore countrymen.”

The PM said that he was confident that under Birla’s chairmanship, the 18th Lok Sabha would successfully fulfil the dreams of the citizens of the country.

“Balram Jakhar was the first Speaker to be re-elected after completing a 5-year term, and now you have created history by doing the same,” he said. “It is a great fortune for the House that you are occupying this chair for the second time. On my behalf and on behalf of the entire House, I congratulate you and wish you all the best.”

PM Modi said that in this important period of ‘Amritkaal’, Birla as the Speaker of the Lok Sabha had a significant responsibility.

“Your experience over the past 5 years will guide us all. We believe you will play a crucial role in fulfilling the hopes and expectations of the country,” he said. “Our scriptures say that a person who is polite and well-behaved is successful. Your sweet smile keeps the entire House happy. You have been setting new standards and records at every step.”

The PM said that over the last 20 years, most Speakers had either not contested elections again or had not won, highlighting the difficulty of the Speaker’s job.

“Yet, you have emerged victorious,” he said. “Many honourable MPs in this House are familiar with you and your life. I have spoken about you before and won’t repeat myself, but your work as an MP is inspiring, particularly for our first-time and young MPs. Your commitment to a healthy mother and child in your parliamentary constituency and initiatives like ‘Hospital on Wheels’ in rural Kota demonstrates your dedication beyond political work.”

PM Modi said that Birla’s efforts in providing essentials to the poor and encouraging youth sports were commendable.

“Your tenure in the 17th Lok Sabha was a golden period in parliamentary history. Under your chairmanship, historic decisions and reforms were made, including the passage of significant laws like the Nari Shakti Vandan Act, the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, the Indian Judicial Code, the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, and many others. These achievements have laid a strong foundation for the country, accomplishing tasks that were not done in 70 years of independence,” he said.

The PM said that in the journey of democracy, there were moments to set records.

“The 17th Lok Sabha under your chairmanship will be remembered for giving a new direction to India’s future. As we modernise to fulfil our aspirations, I believe this new Parliament House will write the future of Amritkaal under your leadership. Your efforts to make parliamentary functioning effective and responsible, including the introduction of a paperless digital system, have strengthened democracy. Your initiative to provide necessary reference material to MPs has improved discussions in the House,” he said.

PM Modi said that the productivity of the 17th Lok Sabha was 97 percent, the highest in 25 years.

“During the challenging period of the pandemic, you checked on MPs’ health, ensuring the House's work continued uninterrupted, achieving 170 percent productivity during that time,” he said. “You have taken precise, balanced, and sometimes harsh decisions to uphold the dignity of the House. Despite the personal pain these decisions might have caused, you chose the dignity of the House, and for that, you deserve congratulations.”

The PM extended his heartfelt wishes to Birla for this important responsibility of the Speaker of Lok Sabha and for leading the House towards new heights of development.

“My heartiest congratulations to you,” he said.