New Delhi: Eight opposition MPs were suspended for the remainder of the Lok Sabha on Tuesday for creating a ruckus during the Budget Session. The suspended MPs include seven Congress MPs and one CPI(M) MP. The opposition MPs raised slogans and threw papers near the Speaker’s podium, protesting Rahul Gandhi’s refusal to speak.
The House was discussing the motion of thanks on the President’s address. The House adjourned three times over the issue of Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi attempting to mention former Army Chief MM Naravane’s unpublished book.
When the proceedings resumed at 3 pm, Chairman Dilip Saikia named Congress MPs Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Gurdeep Singh Aujla, Hibi Eden, Dean Kuriakose, Prashant Padole, C Kiran Kumar Reddy, and Manickam Tagore, and CPI(M) MP S Venkatesan, for committing contempt of the House by throwing papers towards the Chair. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, naming the eight members, moved a motion in the House that all the aforementioned MPs be suspended for the remainder of the current session of Parliament under Rule 374 (2) for committing contempt of the House and insulting the dignity of the Chair by going near the tables of the Secretary-General and Lok Sabha officials and throwing papers. The House approved the motion by voice vote, following which the proceedings were adjourned for the day.
The MPs suspended from the Lok Sabha for the remainder of the Budget Session include Manickam Tagore, Hibi Eden, Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Gurjeet Singh Aujla, Prashant Yadorao Padole, Dean Kuriakose, C. Kiran Kumar Reddy, and S. Venkatesan.
Rahul Gandhi’s Protest Outside Parliament
Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and other MPs protested at the Makar Dwar of Parliament against the suspension of eight opposition MPs from the Lok Sabha and the India-US trade agreement.
MP Manickam Tagore’s reaction to the suspension
Regarding the suspension of opposition MPs, Congress MP Manickam Tagore said, “Eight MPs have been suspended: seven Congress MPs and one CPM MP from Madurai, S. Venkatesan. Our mistake was that we were protesting the government’s decision to prevent Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi from speaking. Yesterday, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi was repeatedly harassed, prevented from speaking, and was asked to provide proof. Today, he brought proof, provided a letter, and submitted the authentication. After that, they stopped the Leader of the Opposition’s speech. Rahul Gandhi spoke about China and US tariffs. After that, Rahul Gandhi’s microphone was taken away, and we protested; therefore, we have been suspended.”
On Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi tabled an article based on Naravane’s book in the House, authenticating it. He again raised the issue of Naravane’s book and the confrontation with China, saying that this is a crucial national security issue that relates to China and Pakistan and is a key part of the President’s address.
But the Chair again prevented him from speaking further.
