Kharge reiterates no apology will be made over conduct of suspended RS MPs

With the stalemate continuing between the Opposition and the treasury benches in the ongoing winter session of the Parliament over the suspension of 12 MPs from Rajya Sabha, Leader of the Opposition in the Upper House Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday reiterated that no apology will be made over the conduct of the MPs.

"There will be no apology. We are requesting them to forget what happened and work on the welfare of the people and the country," Kharge told ANI.

The Congress leader on Tuesday wrote to Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu requesting him to reconsider the matter of suspension of 12 MPs "in the larger interest of Parliamentary democracy" and revoke the suspensions.

Terming the suspension as "against the Constitution", Kharge said, "It is our duty to fight for the cause, under the rule of law. In our letter to the RS Chairman, we have described that the suspension is not correct. Our sessions are not continuous. The House is adjourned and then proceedings are started. To compare the Lower House with the Upper House is not correct. Elections for Lower House are frequently held. There is continuity in the Upper House but there is no session continuity. While suspending the MPs, they had said that it is a continuity of the House, thus they are being suspended. We have expressed that it is against the Constitution and thus demanded revocation of suspended MPs."

In his letter, Kharge termed the suspension as an "unprecedented excessive action" for the unfortunate incidents in the last days of the 2021 Monsoon session of the Rajya Sabha.

"The Monsoon Session of the House concluded on August 11 and was prorogued by the President on August 31. If the House had only been adjourned and then reconvened without any prorogation, the argument of continuity would merit any justification," Mallikarjun Kharge's letter read.

"In view of the aforesaid anomalies and the denial of the right to be heard to the aggrieved members as per the principles of natural justice urge you to reconsider the matter of suspension of 12 MPs in the interest of Parliamentary democracy and revoke the suspension. We much want the House to function smoothly," it stated.

The 12 members were suspended for the rest of the winter session for alleged unruly conduct towards the end of the monsoon session in August when marshals were called after Opposition members stormed the Well of the House during the passage of the General Insurance Business (Nationalisation) Amendment Bill, 2021.

The suspended MPs include six from Congress, two each from TMC and Shiv Sena and one each from CPM and CPI.