Parliament Winter Session: 14 Opposition MPs barred from Lok Sabha for rest of Winter Session
Parliament Winter Session: On Thursday, the Lok Sabha Speaker suspended fourteen Opposition members of parliament due to their disruptive conduct. Among them, nine belonged to the Congress, two to the CPIM, two to the DMK, and one to the CPI. The Opposition's agitation stems from a security breach in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, prompting demands for a statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
The Lok Sabha initiated the suspension of five Congress party members—TN Prathapan, Hibi Eden, Dean Kuriakose, Jothi Mani, and Ramya Haridas—for the remaining duration of the Parliament's winter session. The suspension was attributed to their alleged disregard for the chair's directives.
During the session, Pralhad Joshi, the Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, proposed the motion, citing the members' conduct as a basis for their suspension. Amidst opposition MPs' slogans, Joshi sought the suspension of the aforementioned members, emphasizing their disregard for the house's authority.
Subsequently, an additional nine opposition MPs faced suspension. The suspended members from various opposition parties included Benny Behanan, VK Sreekandan, Mohammad Jawed, PR Natarajan, Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, K Subrahmanyam, SR Parthiban, S Venkatesan, and Manickam Tagore.
Hours after TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien was suspended for what was termed as "unruly" behavior in the house, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar took action, suspending the TMC MP for the remainder of the session. The decision followed a motion moved by the Leader of the House, Piyush Goyal.
Reacting to the suspension, TMC MP Dola Sen criticised the action against Derek O'Brien, asserting that it concerned national security. She highlighted the opposition's obligation to address such issues, emphasizing that had the Home Minister made a statement in the House, the situation might not have escalated. Sen defended their right as the opposition to raise concerns, mentioning their protest at the Well and the slogans raised. She further remarked that if the suspension was a consequence of their actions, so be it.
Congress leader Pramod Tiwari urged the Chairman to reconsider his decision regarding the recent incident. Expressing his concerns, Tiwari emphasized the significance of MPs raising their voices within the parliamentary setup. He highlighted the breach in the sanctity of the parliament, where two individuals, facilitated by a BJP MP, breached security protocols. Tiwari stressed that whether it was a smoke bomb or another disruptive device, the intrusion into the House had alarming implications.
The intrusion occurred when two individuals infiltrated the in-session Lok Sabha from the visitors' gallery. Upon entry, they released a smoke canister before being subdued and apprehended by fellow members of parliament. Law enforcement subsequently arrested the intruders.
Opposition MPs have strongly criticised the government for this security lapse, demanding accountability and seeking a statement from Home Minister Shah. Furthermore, they have pressed for action against BJP MP Pratap Simha, whose endorsement facilitated the unauthorized access of the duo into the Lok Sabha premises.
- With inputs from agencies
