New Delhi, March 13 -- Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla announced on Thursday that Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi has no special privilege to intervene out of turn, reminding the House that the rules apply to every lawmaker and that no one can speak without permission. A day after a motion to remove Birla was defeated in the House, the Speaker, in a suo moto statement, defended his comment that anything unexpected could have happened after many women MPs from the Congress gathered near the PM's seat. In the first part of the session, this observation and Birla's admission that this prompted him to advise the PM to not come to the House to reply to the debate on the President's speech led to furious protests by the Opposition. Assuming the chair for the first time since February 10 (the day Opposition moved no-confidence motion) Birla appealed to the House to let bygones be bygones. "Let us all begin today a new, positive, and constructive chapter. Let us move forward together on the path of national service and nation-building." Addressing the Opposition's key allegation that LoP Gandhi is often not allowed to speak, Birla said on Thursday: "Some Honourable Members said that the Leader of the Opposition is prevented from speaking and is not given adequate opportunity to speak. I want to state from this august bench that whether it is the Leader of the House, the Leader of the Opposition, ministers, or any other member - all honourable members have the right to speak only while adhering to the procedure prescribed under the rules of the House." "Some honourable members believe that the Leader of the Opposition can say anything, on any topic, in any answer in the House. They feel that this is their privilege. I want to clarify that the House operates by rules - and the rules governing the functioning of the House are made by the House itself, not by the Government or the Opposition. These rules have been inherited by me. The rules apply equally to all members of this House," he added. The Speaker pointed out that even the Prime Minister or ministers have to obtain prior consent of the under Rule 372 to make a statement in the House on a matter of public importance. "No honourable member has the privilege of speaking beyond the rules in this House," Birla said and pointed out that India has "a rich tradition of respecting the dignity, decorum, and rules of democratic institutions." The Speaker cited examples to say that no document was allowed to be laid on the table of the House or quoted without the Chair's prior permission. "This tradition has always been respected by all. Any honourable member may personally agree or disagree with the Speaker's decision, but it is my duty to enforce the rules, procedures and traditions of the House." The flashpoint which trigged Opposition's no confidence motion came when Rahul Gandhi was repeatedly not allowed to read from a magazine article on former army chief Manoj Naravane's unpublished memoir. Rebutting the Opposition's claims regarding women MPs gathering near the PM's seat, Birla said it could have created "an unforeseen situation." "To avoid such an unforeseen situation and to maintain order, I had to request the honourable leader of the House not to come to the House. In such adverse circumstances, I did what was appropriate to maintain the order and dignity of the House," Birla added. The Speaker sought to remind members that the Lok Sabha represents the sovereign will of 1.4 billion Indians and that every member has the mandate of millions of citizens. "Every honourable member also brings with them the hope of alleviating the problems, deprivations, and inequities of the citizens of India and fulfilling their expectations, aspirations, and hopes. I have always strived to ensure that every member within the House expresses their views on the subjects/issues within the rules and procedures, and that all honourable members have adequate opportunities to do so. This House should become the voice of every person at the bottom of society, who is our most urgent need today," Birla added....