Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu suspended six MPs of the Trinamool Congress, including four women members for showing placards and shouting slogans from the Well of the House. He invoked Rule 255 against the MPs and a notice served by Secretary General Desh Deepak Varma asked the members to stay away during the rest of the day’s sitting.

In the morning, Naidu dismissed the Opposition’s adjournment motion on Pegasus. He, however, said he is ready to allow a discussion on the notices by Opposition on farmers’ protests, price rise and the economic situation. Objecting to this, Opposition members stormed to the Well and Naidu said he will invoke the Rules to name and suspend those who are in the Well of the House. Before adjourning the Rajya Sabha till 2 pm, he asked the secretariat to provide him the names of those MPs who are in the Well of the House.

Later, a bulletin issued by the Secretary General said Trinamool Congress MPs Dola Sen, Md Nadimul Haque, Abir Ranjan Biswas, Shanta Chhetri Arpita Ghosh and Mausam Noor, who “entered in the well of the House displayed placards, disobeyed the Chair and whose conduct was grossly disorderly in the House this morning have been directed to withdraw immediately from the Council under rule 255 by the Chairman.” He added that, accordingly, these Members shall absent themselves during the remainder of the day’s meeting.

Opposition firm

The Opposition continued to protest when the House assembled at 2 pm. The Centre pushed through three Bills amidst the din and got them passed. The Opposition members were heard shouting “murder of democracy” and “stop spying on Opposition leader” in the din.

Later, a joint statement by 14 Opposition parties condemned the suspension. They alleged that the Centre has “unleashed a misleading campaign to malign the combined opposition” and said the Centre should be blamed for disruptions. “The responsibility for the deadlock lies squarely at the doorsteps of the government, which remains arrogant and obdurate and refuses to accept the opposition’s demand for an informed debate in both the houses,” the joint statement charged.

The Opposition urged the Centre to respect Parliamentary democracy and accept the discussions. “The opposition parties stand firm and united on their demand for a discussion on Pegasus issue in both the Houses, replied to by the Home Minister, as this has national security dimensions,” the statement said.

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