Three more opposition MPs were suspended on Thursday as both houses of Parliament were adjourned indefinitely a day earlier than planned. This ended a rocky winter session that saw a security breach, the suspension of a record number of MPs and the expulsion of Mahua Moitra from TMC in the cash-for-query case.
Lok Sabha MPs Deepak Baij, DK Suresh and Nakul Nath were suspended for unruly behavior after they protested in the well of the House during Question Hour.
With this, the number of MPs suspended in both houses rose to 146, including 100 from the Lok Sabha, in this session that began on December 4. Most of these MPs – an unprecedented 78 – faced the action in one day, December 18th.
The wave of suspensions followed protests over Parliament's security breach on December 13, with the opposition sticking to its demand for a statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the House. The face-off only intensified after TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee was seen imitating Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar.
Opposition leaders have accused the government of using the suspensions as a tactic to “kill” key bills in an “opposition-less parliament.” The BJP, on the other hand, claimed that it was a “pre-planned strategy” to “block important bills”.
Nearly an hour before the Lok Sabha was adjourned on Thursday, as Baij, Suresh and Nath stood in the well of the House, shouting slogans and holding placards, Speaker Om Birla said: ” They are sent here to take up the concerns of the people… They are tearing up and throwing papers in the House of Representatives. Was that what you were elected and sent to Parliament for?”
“I don't want to suspend anyone, but you are bringing posters to the House asking me to suspend you… this is not right,” Birla said.
Sources said the Congress leadership has directed the party legislators, who were suspended only on Thursday, to be present in the House and continue their protests.
Earlier in the day, MPs from the INDIA bloc marched from Parliament to Vijay Chowk to protest against the suspension of opposition members.
Speaking to reporters, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge took aim at Prime Minister Modi and said, “He should speak in the House first…instead he spoke in Lucknow, Varanasi and Ahmedabad…This is really objectionable and it also means he is violating the privileges of Parliament has.” “
Kharge added that leaders of the INDIA bloc will protest at Jantar Mantar on Friday against “this immoral, illegal behavior of this government”.
The Prime Minister was present in Lok Sabha on Thursday afternoon.
Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha recorded 74 per cent productivity despite the chaos and adjournments this session, according to Speaker Birla
In his concluding remarks, Birla said the House held 14 sessions and worked for 61 hours and 50 minutes. A total of 18 bills were passed, including three on criminal law.
Four hours later, Rajya Sabha was adjourned indefinitely. Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said 17 bills were passed and business was conducted for 65 hours. But 22 hours were lost due to “avoidable disruptions,” he said.
“Weaponizing disruption as a political strategy is inconsistent with our constitutional obligation to put the interests of the people above all other political considerations,” he said.