Massive Suspension of MPs in Parliament

In one of the largest mass suspensions to date, 33 members from Lok Sabha and 45 from Rajya Sabha were suspended on Monday for disrupting proceedings and causing uproar in Parliament over last week’s security breach incident.

Of the nearly 80 MPs facing action on Monday, 64 have been suspended for the remainder of the winter session, concluding on December 22. The INDIA bloc, an alliance of Opposition parties against the ruling BJP, lost half of its strength in Rajya Sabha and one-third in Lok Sabha for the remainder of the Winter Session with the suspension of 78 MPs.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, in the national capital for an alliance meeting, described the action against Opposition MPs as a “mockery of democracy.” The allies have 95 MPs in Rajya Sabha, of which 45 were suspended on Monday. AAP’s Sanjay Singh was suspended earlier as he is in jail, and TMC MP Derek O’Brien was suspended on Friday. In the Lok Sabha, the bloc has a total strength of 133 MPs, of whom 46 (33 today) were suspended over the last few days. The suspended MPs belong to the Congress, TMC, DMK, and JDU.

The action was precipitated by their protest in Parliament demanding a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah on the Lok Sabha security breach. They were suspended for unruly behavior, showing placards, and raising slogans in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

“Why did they suspend so many MPs? Do you think they won two states so they became so arrogant?” said Banerjee, attacking the BJP, which won the recent assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh by defeating the Congress. TMC MP Sougata Ray was among those suspended.

“Sougata Ray (TMC’s Lok Sabha MP) is a senior leader of the country. He is among those suspended. Everyone is being suspended…They can suspend one or two MPs for any bad cause. If they collectively suspend people…the House should be suspended,” she said.

She claimed the BJP was afraid.

“They are afraid. The voice of the people has been totally stopped and choked. Let them suspend the House. They have no moral ground to run the House. They will suspend or expel the opposition fully and run the House. This is a mockery of democracy,” she said. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said all democratic norms had been thrown into the dustbin.

“With an opposition-less Parliament, the Modi government can now bulldoze important pending legislations, crush any dissent, without any debate,” Kharge said.

Also read: Lok Sabha suspends 30 Opposition MPs for remainder of Winter Session

Congress MP Jairam Ramesh said there was a bloodbath in Rajya Sabha today.

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

“Tanashahi ka Doosra Naam ModiShahi hai- democracy has been suspended!” Ramesh said in another post.

RJD MP Manoj Jha slammed the government and said the suspension was a badge of honour. “Congratulations to Modi ji on an opposition-mukt Parliament,” Jha added. On last Wednesday, two intruders barged into the Lok Sabha chamber from the visitors’ gallery. They were overpowered by the MPs.

The Opposition has been demanding action against BJP MP Pratap Simha whose office had issued entry passes to the intruders.

“This shouldn’t have been done. We were demanding the suspension of BJP MP (Pratap Simha), but they instead suspended us,” TMC MP Sougata Ray said.

JD(U) MP Kaushalendra Kumar said the BJP-led central government is trying to suspend as many MPs as they can so that more bills could be passed.