Opposition MPs condemned the suspension saying that it is the right of every elected public representative to ask questions…reports Asian Lite News
After five Congress Lok Sabha members were suspended from Lok Sabha for the remainder of winter session earlier in the day on Thursday, eight more opposition MPs were suspended from the House for the same period for “unruly conduct”.
The motion for suspension of nine opposition MPs – Benny Behanan, VK Sreekandan, Mohammad Jawed, PR Natarajan, Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, K Subrahmanyam, SR Parthiban, and S Venkatesan – was moved by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi.
The MPs were suspended soon after the House met at 3 pm following its adjournment earlier. The House was later adjourned for the day.
Earlier, five Congress members were suspended from Lok Sabha for “unruly behaviour” for the remainder of the winter session. Joshi had moved motion for their suspension.
He moved the motion after apprising the House of the steps taken in the wake of yesterday’s incident of a security breach in which two men jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the visitor’s gallery.
The opposition has been demanding a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah.
Opposition slams Govt
Opposition MPs condemned the suspension of 13 MPs from the Lok Sabha and one from Rajya Sabha on Thursday, saying that it is the right of every elected public representative to ask questions.
The opposition MPs were demanding a statement in the House on Prime Minister Naredndra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the Parliament security breach incident.
Jharkhand Minister and Congress leader Banna Gupta said that public representatives are elected by the people and sent to Parliament or Assembly to speak as per their expectations.
“It is the right of every elected public representative (to ask questions). If they have been elected by the people and sent to Parliament or Assembly, they speak as per the expectations of the people,” Gupta said speaking to ANI on Thursday.
The Jharkhand Minister said that had the miscreants who created a ruckus in the Parliament on Friday been armed many would have died.
“What happened yesterday is highly condemnable. They did not have weapons. If they had weapons, God knows how many people would have died. This is a major failure and the Government and security agencies should have a review over this. We had seen a catastrophic attack on the Parliament in 2001 which we remember even today,” Gupta said.
Condemning the violent act, Gupta said, “Unfortunately, people living in India insulted the Parliament by acting illegally there. They should be given stringent punishment.”
Janata Dal (United) MP Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh said that the MPs were suspended from the House just to hide the government’s failures.
“The suspensions have been done for the government to hide its failures. They want to scare the Opposition. You can’t govern by creating fear. If Opposition MPs were demanding a statement from the Home Minister regarding yesterday’s security failure, then what was wrong with it? The Home Minister should come and make a statement…,” Ranjan Singh said on Thursday.
RS refers Derek O’Brien’s conduct to Privileges Committee
The Rajya Sabha on Thursday passed a motion against suspended TMC MP Derek O’Brien, refering his conduct to the Committee of Privileges for examination, investigation and report within three months.
House Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar announced a motion moved by the Leader of the House Piyush Goyal, who raised his conduct against the proceedings of the Upper House, claiming “repeated disregard” to the chair and gross violation of Rule 256 (3).
Goyal moved the motion that said, “The House takes a serious note of the conduct of Derek O’Brien member who was suspended from the service of the Council under Rule 256 (2) to deliberately continue in the chamber in gross violation of Rule 256 (3) and disregarding repeated direction imparted by the chair.”
“Thereby, compounding his offence and committing a serious contempt of the House and breach of privilege of members, and agrees that the matter be referred to the Committee of Privileges of the Rajya Sabha for examination, investigation and report within three months,” it stated.
As the motion was accepted by the majority of the members, the Chairman referred it to the Committee of Privileges of Rajya Sabha. He later adjourned the House for the day to meet at 11 am on Friday.
Earlier, the House faced three adjournments between 2 to 4 pm due to the presence of Derek in the House despite the Chairman’s repeated warning to the legislator to withdraw to the chamber.
Earlier, when the House announced its second adjournment till 2 pm, the Rajya Sabha had adopted a motion for suspension of Derek for the remainder of the winter session for his “unruly behaviour” and “misconduct”. The proceedings of the house were adjourned till 2 PM after an uproar by opposition members over the TMC leader’s suspension.
He was named earlier in the morning also for his “unruly behaviour” and was asked by the chairman to leave the House. (ANI)
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