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The Rajya Sabha, through a motion, suspended 12 MPs from the Opposition camp for “unruly behaviour” inside the House on the last day of Monsoon Session, August 11.
The MPs will be suspended for the remaining days of the Winter Session that began here in Monday.
Chairman Venkaiah Naidu invoked Rule 256 to suspend the MPs. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi moved a motion in Rajya Sabha to suspend the MPs and it was passed in a voice vote amid the protests from Opposition MPs. The charges against Opposition MPs Elamaram Kareem, Phulo Devi Netam, Chhaya Verma, Ripun Bora, Binoy Vishwam, Rajamani Patel, Dola Sen, Shanta Chhetri, Syed Nasir Hussain, Priyanka Chaturvedi, Anil Desai and Akhilesh Prasad Singh include “utter disregard to the authority of the Chair, complete abuse of rules of the House” and “violent behaviour”.
Joshi alleged in the motion that the MPs intentionally attacked the security personnel on the last day of Monsoon Session.
Soon after the motion was moved, Deputy Chairman Harivansh read out the names of the MPs and announced that they will remain suspended during the Winter Session.
Opposition condemns
The Opposition parties condemned the suspension and said it was an unwarranted and undemocratic decision in violation of all the Rules of Procedure of Rajya Sabha pertaining to suspension of members. “The motion moved by the Government for suspending the members in regard to the unfortunate incident that occurred in the previous session is unprecedented and violates the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of the Council of States (Rajya Sabha). The floor leaders of Opposition parties of Rajya Sabha will meet tomorrow (Tuesday) to deliberate on the future course of action to resist the authoritarian decision of the government and defend Parliamentary democracy,” they said.
‘Proved right’
Kareem said unfortunate events are taking place in Parliament under the BJP’s rule. “The Opposition has been trying to oppose the anti-people policies of the Centre and to respond to it in accordance with the House proceedings. What should MPs do when even that is not allowed? All the allegations made by the opposition MPs in the last session have now been proved to be true. The government was forced to change its position on Pegasus and farm laws. The Modi government, which has lost its face, has announced the suspension as a ploy to cover up the rift. There has never been any action taken in a session on the incident that took place in the last session,” he charged and accused that that the Centre is “insulting parliamentary democracy”.
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