Bhartruhari Mahtab, born in 1957 in Odisha, is a seven-time MP and the new pro-tem Speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha. Son of Odisha's first CM, he's a politician, writer, and social contributor. Mahtab won the Cuttack seat six times with BJD before joining BJP in 2024. He won again on a BJP ticket. Mahtab has received the Outstanding Parliamentarian and Sansad Ratna awards. His appointment as pro-tem Speaker has sparked controversy due to his recent party switch.
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NewsTranscript
00:00Hello there, this is me Ansh Pandey and you are watching One India English.
00:04The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha began today with a controversy as the BJP MP
00:09Bhattruhari Mahatab was sworn in as the protem speaker, despite strong opposition objections.
00:17President Draupadi Murmu today administered the oath to Mahatab at Rajapati Bhavan preparing him
00:22to oversee the Lok Sabha session and the oath-taking ceremony for the newly elected MPs.
00:29The opposition, particularly the Congress party, criticised this appointment,
00:33arguing that their member, Kodaikunil Suresh, an eight-term MP, was overlooked.
00:39Traditionally, the most senior MP gets chosen for this role. The Congress leaders
00:45accused the government of violating the parliamentary norms and politicising this
00:49appointment. Adding to this controversy is Mahatab's recent switch from BJD to BJP before
00:56the elections. However, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiran Rajuju has defended this choice,
01:02noting Mahatab's seven uninterrupted terms in the Lok Sabha.
01:07Now, as the protem speaker, Mahatab's responsibilities include convening the
01:12Lok Sabha session, administering the oath to the newly elected MPs, starting with Prime Minister
01:17Narendra Modi and overseeing the initial proceedings until a new speaker is elected
01:23on 26th of June, which is two days from now. But one must also take a look at his journey
01:31in the Indian politics. Bhattruhari Mahatab was born on 8th of September, 1957 in Bhadrak, Odisha.
01:39He is son of Dr. Hare Krishna Mahatab, who is also Odisha's first Chief Minister.
01:46Beside being a politician, Mahatab is also a writer and he contributes to social causes,
01:52including several important issues of Odisha. He completed his post-graduation in 1978 from
01:59Ravenshaw College, Uttar Pradesh University before entering into active politics from BJD.
02:05Mahatab's political career began in 1998 when he won the Katak Lok Sabha seat on BJD ticket.
02:12He went on to win this seat in 1999, 2004, 2009, 2014 and even 2019, serving as the BJD MP for six
02:21times. However, a significant shift occurred in his political journey on 28th of March, 2024,
02:28when he resigned from BJD and joined the Bharati Janta Party. This switch also didn't affect his
02:34political success. Running on a BJP ticket in 2024 elections, he defeated BJD's Santroop Mishra,
02:41securing his seventh term as an MP. Mahatab's parliamentary career has been distinguished.
02:48In 2017, he was also honoured by the Government of India with the Outstanding Parliamentarian
02:53Award. He also received the Sansad Ratan Award for his excellent performance in debates.
02:59His political acumen and long-standing experience in the Lok Sabha has now led
03:04his to appointment as the Pro Tem Speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha. The role, though temporary,
03:10is seen as crucial in initiating the proceedings of the newly elected Lok Sabha.
03:16Today, the session began at 11 am in the morning. First, he gave the oath to Prime Minister and then
03:22the Council of Ministers and now the other MPs are taking oath. Yet, his appointment is
03:28irking the opposition leaders. This controversy sets a tone for this session, which is scheduled
03:35to continue until 3rd of July. It also highlights the ongoing political division between the ruling
03:41party and the opposition even in the matters of parliamentary procedures. The role of Pro Tem
03:48Speaker is actually very crucial in the early days of the Lok Sabha session because it facilitates
03:53the transition and ensures the smooth commencement of the parliamentary activities. Yet, this dispute
04:00over the appointment eclipses the importance placed on adherence and traditional practices
04:05in India's parliamentary systems.