The Lok Sabha on Tuesday suspended eight Congress MPs for four days over repeatedly disrupting the proceedings in the House over the Telangana statehood issue. With the ruling UPA urging the Opposition to ensure smooth functioning of the House so that crucial financial business could be transacted, the ruckus created by its MPs from Telangana left the government red-faced.
In fact, the government took the Leader of the Opposition, Sushma Swaraj, into confidence before taking the decision to suspend the MPs. UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi was reportedly extremely upset after the Opposition party leaders pointed out the failure of the ruling party in controlling its own members over the issue.
The House had to be adjourned thrice because of the disruptions — first, soon after it assembled in the morning, then again at noon and finally after lunch. Action was taken against Ponnam Prabhakar, Madhu Yaskhi Goud, M Jagannath, KRG Reddy, G Viveknanda, Balram Naik, Sukender Reddy Gutha and S Rajaiah after parliamentary affairs minister Pawan Kumar Bansal moved a motion seeking their suspension. The motion was carried out by a voice vote after Francisco Sardinha, who was in the Chair, warned them of action if they failed to return to their seats and maintain decorum.
The eight MPs stormed into the Well of the House, holding posters supporting the cause for a separate state and chanting slogans like “We want Telangana”. They even staged a sit-in in the Well. Finally, marshals had to be called in to carry them away from the House.
The leader of the House, Pranab Mukherjee, then consulted Sushma Swaraj (BJP), Mulayam Singh Yadav (SP), Sharad Yadav (JD-U) and Gurudas Dasgupta (CPI). Mukherjee was also seen having a word with Sonia Gandhi.
Subsequently, the Congress’ core group, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Gandhi, took the decision to suspend the MPs. They argued the decision was taken as it was not only vital for transaction of the financial business but also that it would be a face saver for an embarrassed government, being seen as ineffective in reining in its own MPs.
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Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said, “Telangana continues to remain a sensitive issue. The Centre has tried to engage with all stakeholders to find a viable solution, and we have been patient with our colleagues. But we cannot negate the reality that there are other urgent matters — this is the Budget session. There is a certain protocol and it needs to be followed. But that does not mean that we are not sympathetic to the Telangana issue.
The Congress in Andhra Pradesh is divided on regional lines, with members from the Telangana region in the forefront of the demand for a separate state. While TRS has been agitating for the cause of a separate Telangana state, as also the TDP, the former party MPs were not seen in the House on Tuesday.
BJP senior leader Jaswant Singh and Gurudas Dasgupta minced no words in expressing their dismay over the government’s failure to control its own members, and urged the UPA to sort out the issue.
BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said, “We want Parliament to function properly, and important issues be discussed. But the Congress MPs are disrupting the proceedings of the Parliament. It seems the members of the Congress party are not under the control of the party high-command. Congress must clarify whether it has control over its parliamentary party or not. Such disruptions waste Parliament’s time.”