Speaker appreciated for forgetting hunger pangs, running House

Lok Sabha members Wednesday appreciated Speaker Om Birla for chairing proceedings of the House for 3 hours at a stretch and delaying lunchtime to accommodate members to flag issues during Zero Hour. As Birla called out the name of TMC member Saugata Roy to speak during Zero Hour, the senior leader of the House said the Speaker has "forgotten his hunger pangs" and is running the House at a stretch.

"This is an example of posterity and how a Speaker should work," Roy said. Birla was unanimously elected Speaker of the 17th Lok Sabha on June 19. Birla was elected to the Lok Sabha first time in 2014 and was re-elected this year from Rajasthan's Kota-Bundi seat.

Gopal Shetty (BJP) too heaped praises on Birla for mandating that ministers should give a reply within a month to matters raised during Zero Hour. Rajendra Agrawal (BJP) too thanked Birla for allowing members to raise matters during Zero Hour and conducting proceedings of the House continuously for 3 hours.

The speaker later adjourned the House for lunch for 30 minutes at 2:30 pm.