New Delhi: After the 17th Lok Sabha unanimously elected Om Birla as the Speaker of the lower house, Birla was felicitated by various leaders of the house, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday.
After Modi, newly-elected Congress Leader of Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary also addressed the speaker and expressed his party's commitment towards upholding parliamentary democracy.
Chowdhary further said that as speaker of this house, one needs to be impartial and protect the dignity and spirit of this house as the speaker is the "presiding officer and custodian of the house and according to Nehru, represents the house, the freedom of the people and the nation itself."
Chowdhary concluded his address by dedicating a poem to Om Birla saying: "Khuda se kya maangu tere vaaste (What do I ask for you from God?), sada khushiyon se bhare hon tere raaste, (May your path forever be filled with happiness), hansi tere chehre pe rahe is tarah, (I pray for a perpetual smile on your face), khushboo phoolon ke saath rehti hai jis tarah (just like the beautiful fragrance residing in flowers)".
The motion to choose Birla as the speaker was moved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is also Leader of the House, and passed by a voice vote.
Birla, who won his first Lok Sabha election in 2014, was again elected this year from Rajasthan's Kota-Bundi seat.
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