45 Oppn MPs suspended in Rajya Sabha, 33 in LS over security breach row

While 34 of the Rajya Sabha MPs were suspended for the remainder of the Winter session, 11 have been directed to stay away from the House pending an inquiry report on their conduct

As many as 45 opposition members in Rajya Sabha were on Monday suspended for unruly behaviour and disregarding the directions of the Chair after they raised slogans demanding a statement from the Union Home Minister on the Parliament security breach issue and disrupted proceedings.

Among those suspended were Congress MPs Pramod Tiwari, Jairam Ramesh, K C Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala, Samajwadi Party's Ram Gopal Yadav and TMC's Sukhendu Sekhar Ray. Almost half the MPs of the opposition INDIA bloc now stand suspended, including leaders and whips of several key parties.

The development occurred soon after 33 opposition members in Lok Sabha including leader of Congress Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, DMK's T R Baalu and TMC's Sougata Ray were suspended following similar scenes in the Lower House.

While 34 of the Rajya Sabha MPs were suspended for the remainder of the Winter session, 11 have been suspended and directed to stay away from the House pending an inquiry report on their conduct by the Committee of Privileges.

TMC's Derek O'Brien was suspended from the House last week for misconduct. AAP's Sanjay Singh, who is in jail in a Delhi liquor policy case, already remains suspended from the House.

Terming the unprecedented action against the 78 MPs as "murder of democracy", the opposition alleged that the government wants an "opposition-less" Parliament to "bulldoze" important legislations without debate.

However, Union Minister Piyush Goyal hit out at the opposition alleging it was their pre-planned strategy as they didn't want the House to function since very important legislations were to be introduced in Lok Sabha.

"The rude behaviour of the Congress and its friendly partners of INDI alliance in both the Houses of Parliament today, and the manner in which several members brought placards in the House, it has embarrassed the entire country. Both the Speaker and the Chairman were insulted today," he said outside the House.

In Rajya Sabha, the members were suspended after the House adopted a motion moved by Leader of the House Piyush Goyal for suspension of 34 MPs for the remainder of the session and another one for referring cases of 'misconduct' of 11 other opposition MPs to the privileges committee.

The Committee has been asked to submit its report within three months and the 11 MPs will not be able to attend the proceedings of the House till then.

Among the prominent leaders suspended are TMC's floor leaders Derek O'Brien and Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, Samajwadi Party's Ram Gopal Yadav, Congress' deputy leader Pramod Tiwari, chief whip Jairam Ramesh and whips Syed Naseer Hussain and Rajani Ashokrao Patil, besides CPI leader Binoy Viswam.

RJD leader in Rajya Sabha Manoj Kumar Jha, JDU's leader Ram Nath Thakur and JMM leader in RS Mahua Maji.

Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar first named the unruly members and asked Goyal to move the motion which was adopted by voice vote amid a din.

"Disturbance and disruption cannot be allowed to be weaponised to sacrilege this temple of democracy," Dhankar said.

The opposition members, who were demanding a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah on the December 13 security breach in Lok Sabha, raised slogans and disrupted proceedings of the House that saw repeated adjournments since morning.

As the upper house assembled at 4:30 pm after two adjournments in the morning and three adjournments in the post-lunch period, the opposition members led by the Congress continued their protests.

Chairman Dhankhar, who was presiding over the proceedings, warned the members and said it was a "painful day" as the House has been reduced to a shouting brigade with members showing placards and jumping into the well of the House.

Calling out the "unbecoming conduct" of MPs, he said members indulged in "willful defiance" of the directives of the Chair due to their "ignoble and grossly disorderly conduct" and named these members who were then suspended.

Among the 34 opposition MPs suspended for the remainder of the session, 12 MPs are from the Congress.

These are - Pramod Tiwari, Jairam Ramesh, Amee Yajnik, Naranbhai J Rathwa, Syed Nasir Hussain, Shrimati Phulo Devi Netam, Shaktisinh Gohil, K.C.Venugopal, Rajani Ashokrao Patil, Ranjeet Ranjan, Imran Pratapgarhi, Randeep Singh Surjewala (all of Congress), while seven members are from TMC - Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, Mohammed Nadimul Haque, Abir Ranjan Biswas, Santanu Sen, Mausam Noor, Prakash Chik Baraik and Samirul Islam.

Others suspended for the winter session are M Shanmugam, N. R. Elango, Kanimozhi NVN Somu, R. Girirajan, Manoj Kumar Jha, Faiyaz Ahmad V. Sivadasan, Ram Nath Thakur, Aneel Prasad Hegde, Vandana Chavan, Ram Gopal Yadav, Javed Ali Khan, Mahua Maji, Jose K. Mani and Ajit Kumar Bhuyan.

The 11 opposition members whose names have been referred to the privilege committee are - Jebi Mather Hisham, L Hanumanthaiah, Neeraj Dangi, Rajmani Patel, Kumar Ketkar, G. C. Chandrashekhar, Binoy Viswam, Sandosh Kumar P, Mohamed Abdulla, John Brittas and A A Rahim.

Agitated Opposition MPs said this is the first time that such a large number of opposition members have faced such an action in Rajya Sabha.

Among the prominent opposition leaders in Rajya Sabha are Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, floor leader of NCP Sharad Pawar, CPI-M leader Elamaram Kareem and DMK's floor leader Tiruchi Siva.

After the passing of the motion, Dhankhar again urged the protesting members to "follow the rules, engage in orderly conduct and not to reduce yourself into a shouting brigade. Do not let down the reputation of this august house."

He further urged the protesting members not to let down the reputation of the House before the people at large.

"Your conduct has to be so exemplary, that people can emulate it," he said adding "As Chairman of this august house, a rare privilege I have. I bow my head in shame that we are far from the expectations of the people and conduct far distant from the rules."

With folded hands, the Rajya Sabha Chairman urged the members "to save the temple of democracy" and follow the rules so that the legislative work should continue.

However, as the opposition members continued their protest, Dhankhar said, "You are setting a dangerous precedent" and losing relevance.

He said his appeal to Leader of the Opposition Kharge to meet him in his chamber "has not been heard and the members did not cooperate on the issue related to mothers and sisters of Jammu and Kashmir".

Earlier in the day, the Rajya Sabha passed two Bills to extend provisions of the women's reservation law to the legislative assemblies of Puducherry, and Jammu and Kashmir amid a din as opposition members continued with their protest.

After the suspensions, the Chairman adjourned the proceedings for the day and the House will meet on Tuesday morning.