12 Rajya Sabha MPs Suspended From Rest of Winter Session Over Alleged Ruckus

The government will consider revoking the suspension if the MPs apologise, Prahlad Joshi has said.

Indian Parliament. Image used for representation.

(Photo: PTI)

Twelve Rajya Sabha MPs were suspended for the remaining session of the Parliament on Monday, 29 November, after allegedly creating ruckus in the House.

The 12 MPs include Elamaram Kareem (CPM), Congress MPs Phulo Devi Netam, Chhaya Verma, R Bora, Rajamani Patel, Syed Nasir Hussain, Akhilesh Prasad Singh, Binoy Viswam (CPI), Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs Dola Sen and Shanta Chhetri, and Shiv Sena MPs Priyanka Chaturvedi and Anil Desai.

However, the government will consider revoking the suspension if the MPs apologise, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi has said.

Joshi tweeted on Tuesday, 30 November, and wrote that the government is preparing to introduce "many important bills" in the House in this session.

"In order to maintain the dignity of the House, the government was compulsorily forced to place this proposal of suspension... But if these 12 MPs apologise to the Speaker and House for their misbehavior, then the government is also ready to consider their proposal positively with an open heart," he said.

Earlier, speaking to ANI, Chaturvedi said that the CCTV footage must be examined to ascertain the truth.

"If you see the CCTV footage it has been recorded how male marshals were jostling female MPs. All of this on one side and your decision on the other? What kind of unparliamentary behaviour is this?" she said.

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Unfair & Unjust: Suspended MPs

Congress' Chhaya Verma called the suspension "unfair and unjust."

"There were other members from other parties who created a ruckus but the chairman suspended me. PM Modi is doing just as he wishes since he enjoys a brute majority," she told ANI.

Congress MP Ripun Bora called it a "murder of democracy" and said that the decision was "one-sided, biased, and vindictive."

"We had protested for the cause of farmers, the poor people and as Parliamentarians, it is our duty to raise the voices of the oppressed, deprived. If we don't raise the voices in Parliament, where will we do that?" he told ANI.

The bill to repeal the three farm laws was passed in both houses of the Parliament on the first day of the winter session on Monday. However, Opposition MPs resorted to sloganeering in both houses while the bill was being passed, demanding a discussion first.

Oppn Issues Joint Statement, Condemn Suspension

The Opposition parties have called a meeting on the next course of action over the suspension of 12 Rajya Sabha MPs, at LoP in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge's office on Tuesday.

In a joint statement, leaders of Opposition parties condemn the "unwarranted and undemocratic suspension of 12 MPs."

"Floor leaders of Opposition parties of the Rajya Sabha will meet tomorrow to deliberate on the future course of action to resist authoritarian decision of the government and defend Parliamentary democracy," the statement said.

Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge said that the suspension of the 12 MPs was a strangulation of democracy.

"We are meeting tomorrow to discuss future course of action. If voices of those who raise voices for others are suppressed, it's like strangulating the democracy. We condemn it, all parties condemn it," he said, as quoted by ANI.

"This is an anti-democratic step. This autocratic govt has done this to create fear among MPs. Moving of Resolution for action against 12 MPs is totally illegal, wrong & against rules. Incident had occurred in the session, action should have been taken in last session," he added.

Meanwhile, TMC MP Dola Sen said that the BJP-led Central government had total lawlessness & dictatorship. "We condemn the unprecedented attack on democracy & constitution & are proud to be suspended for raising our voices in favour of the farmers & constitution in the Parliament," she was quoted as saying by ANI.

Her colleague Shanta Chhetri said,"It happened all of a sudden, without informing the opposition. I'm TMC's & Mamata Banerjee's soldier, working for the people. They suspended us for protesting for this country; I'm very happy. Public understands this dictatorship."

Later, government sources also said that if the 12 MPs apologised, then a decision on their future would be deliberated upon.

"If the Members (Rajya Sabha MPs), against whom action has been taken, seek apology as per the rules, then a deliberation may be done regarding the future," the Government sources said, as per ANI.