New Delhi:The Lok Sabha Speaker has suspended 7 Members of Parliament belonging to the Congress. The suspension will remain in place for the rest of the Budget session which ends on April 3.
The suspension came about after some Congress party MPs snatched a copy of a Bill, tore the papers and tossed them at Rama Devi who was in the Chair at the time.
The Congress members who have been suspended are T.N. Prathapan, Dean Kuriakosh, Gaurav Gogoi, Unnithan, Gurpreet Singh Aujala, Benny Behanan and Manikkam Tagore.
The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day.
The Congress reacted sharply to the suspension of seven of its MPs for the remaining session of the Lok Sabha on Thursday, with the party calling it a “sad day for Indian democracy” and one member terming it a “black day for the functioning of Parliament”.
“This reflects the government’s utter dictatorship as also the complete failure of the Hon’able Speaker in protecting the rights of the MPs in holding the government accountable to the law of this country as also to Parliament. What were these MPs doing? They were only demanding a discussion on the Delhi riots,” said Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala.
The opposition party said that these MPs were only questioning Home Minister Amit Shah’s role or a deliberate conspiracy behind the Delhi violence that has claimed the lives of 52 persons till now.
“Why can’t the Prime Minister and the BJP government answer? Is it now a crime to protest against intemperate and imbecile remarks made at the instance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji by none other than an MP who is supporting the BJP, Hanuman Beniwal, who has lost his mental balance? I think this is a sad day for India’s democracy,” Surjewala added.
“… if the Prime Minister tramples upon India’s Parliament and the rights of parliamentarians, you might as well throw out the entire opposition forever and hold a mock Parliament with your ‘chelas and chamchas’ (followers and flatterers),” he said.
Congress lawmaker Gaurav Gogoi, who was among those suspended for alleged misconduct, said: “Suspend me, but please discuss the Delhi riots tomorrow (Friday). Show your accountability towards the very people who voted for you. No matter our numbers my party @INCIndia derives its strength from our commitment towards Bharat Mata and we will continue to seek justice from PM Modi.”
Gogoi, TN Prathapan, Dean Kuriakose, R Unnithan, Gurjeet Singh Aujla, Benny Behanan and Manickam Tagore will remain suspended for the rest of the Budget session that ends on April 3.
They were suspended after some Congress MPs snatched a copy of a Bill, tore the papers and tossed them at Rama Devi, who was presiding over the Lok Sabha proceedings at that time.
(Inputs from IANS)
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