'Unprecedented': 79 opposition MPs suspended from Parliament today
A staggering 79 opposition MPs were on Monday suspended over staging protests and alleged "misconduct," per reports. At least 33 MPs, including Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, from the Lok Sabha and 35 from the Rajya Sabha were suspended for the remainder of the Parliament Winter Session. Another 11 members of the Rajya Sabha remain suspended until the Privileges Committee submits a report. The opposition MPs demanded Union Home Minister Amit Shah address the Parliament on last week's security breach.
Why does this story matter?
On Wednesday (December 13), two individuals, Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D, jumped into the Lok Sabha's chamber from the visitors' gallery, shouting slogans and setting off smoke bombs. Two other protestors, Neelam Azad and Amol Shinde, staged a similar demonstration outside the Parliament simultaneously before being arrested. Later on Friday, 14 opposition MPs were suspended for the remainder of the Winter Session over "unruly conduct." So, with the latest development, at least 93 opposition MPs remain suspended from the Parliament.
Suspension of 33 opposition MPs from Lok Sabha
The suspended Lok Sabha MPs were accused of "misconduct" and disobeying the speaker's directions. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi reportedly moved the motion to suspend them after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Rajendra Agrawal, who was in the chair, said opposition MPs were violating rules. Agrawal initially named the members disrupting the session, following which the motion to suspend them from the remainder of the Winter Session, which ends on December 22, was adopted.
Parliament now functions to stifle opposition voice: RS member Venugopal
Among those suspended from the Rajya Sabha for the current session for allegedly disrupting the proceedings was Congress leader KC Venugopal. He claimed the Parliament now functions only to stifle the opposition's voice and suspend leaders raising concerns over public and security issues. "Now Parliament is for the suspension of the opposition MPs, not for debate and discussion," Venugopal told ANI.
Chowdhury reacts to suspension of opposition MPs
Reacting to his suspension, Chowdhury said opposition leaders have been demanding for days to reinstate the MPs suspended last week and for Shah to address the House. "He (Shah) gives statements to the TV every day, and he can speak a little in the Parliament too regarding what is being done by the government for the security of the Parliament," he told ANI. Saying the government's action has "reached the heights of tyranny," Chowdhury added the opposition only "wanted discussion."
Check out Congress leader's reaction here
Opposition is 'feeling insecure': Top BJP leader
Meanwhile, Union minister G Kishan Reddy stated that the opposition leaders behaved indecently in the House on Monday. Reddy also claimed the opposition is "feeling insecure" as it doesn't have an agenda or issue against the central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "They (opposition) are not letting the House function. So the speaker has suspended them, and we have supported it," Reddy told ANI.
Recalling suspension of 14 opposition MPs from Lok Sabha
Fourteen members of the Parliament, including 13 from the Lok Sabha and one from the Rajya Sabha, were suspended last Wednesday for unruly behavior. These included nine from the Congress, two from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), two from the Communist Party of India (Marxist), and one from the Communist Party of India (CPI). Separately, the Lok Sabha Secretariat suspended eight security personnel on Thursday for the lapses that led to the Parliament security breach.
