Congress, RJD slam govt over suspension of 92 MPs for remainder of Winter Session

December 19, 2023 13 Views No Comment

New Delhi, December 19 (IANS) The Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) on Monday slammed the Centre over the suspension on 45 Rajya Sabha and 33 Lok Sabha MPs for the remainder of Winter Session ending December 22 over their demand for a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah on the December 13 Parliament security breach.

On December 14, a total of 13 Lok Sabha MPs were suspended, while one Rajya Sabha MP, Derek O’Brien of the Trinamool Congress, was also suspended for the remainder of the session.

The Congress dubbed the suspension of the opposition MPs as a shameful attack on Indian democracy, adding that people are seeing how democracy achieved after sacrifices is being trampled.

Hitting out at the government, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, “There was a dangerous lapse in the security of the Parliament. But the dictatorial government has suspended opposition MPs who were demanding answers over the negligence.

“The government could not ensure the security of the Parliament, tarnished democracy and, in a way, expelled the entire opposition from the Parliament. This is the most shameful attack on Indian democracy in history. The people of the country are seeing how democracy, which was achieved on the basis of millions of sacrifices, is being trampled.”

Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh, who is among those suspended from the Rajya Sabha, wrote on X, “Not only in the Lok Sabha, today was a bloodbath in the Rajya Sabha with 45 INDIA bloc MPs getting suspended for demanding a statement from the Home Minister on the December 13 security breach, and for demanding that the Leader of the Opposition be allowed to speak.”

“Incidentally, I too figure in this Roll of Honour — for the first time in my parliamentary career of 19 years. This is Murder of Democracy in India (MODI) at work,” he added.

Ramesh said that 13 INDIA MPs were suspended from the Lok Sabha on December 14 for demanding a statement from the Home Minister on the ‘shocking’ security breach of December 13.

“Today, 33 more INDIA MPs, including a number of floor leaders, were suspended from the Lok Sabha for making the same perfectly legitimate demand. Democracy has been suspended,” the Congress MP said.

Meanwhile, RJD leader Manoj Jha, who has also been suspended, slammed the government saying that today’s date will get recorded in history as 92 MPs have been suspended for raising questions over the Parliament security breach.

Jha said that he does not know who is guiding the government but the temptation for power is giving rise to dictatorship.

The RJD leader said that all the MPs suspended for demanding a statement on Parliament security breach are taking it (suspension) as badge of honor and recognition for raising questions to those in power.

The Upper House on Monday suspended a total of 45 Opposition MPs, including Congress’ Ramesh, K.C. Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala; Trinamool Congress’ Sukhendu Sekhar Ray and Santanu Sen, and RJD’s Jha, among others.

While 34 members were suspended for the remaining part of the session, the ‘misconduct’ of 11 others was referred to the Privileges Committee, which will submits its report in three months.

Earlier in the day, 33 MPs from Lok Sabha were also suspended for the remainder of the Winter Session, including Leader of Congress in the House, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.

The MPs were suspended after Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi moved the motion to suspend more Opposition leaders from the Lok Sabha.

Rajdenra Agarwal, who was in the chair, announced the suspension through voice vote.