Delhi: Suspended TMC MPs hold sit-in protest at Gandhi statue

New Delhi: Trinamool Congress (TMC) lawmakers (MPs) on Wednesday staged a sit-in protest at the Gandhi statue outside Parliament on Wednesday over their suspension from Rajya Sabha.

MPs who were suspended on Tuesday over ‘unruly behaviour and disrupting proceedings’ include Sushmita Dev, Santanu Sen, Dola Sen, Mausam Noor, Shanta Chhetri, Abhi Ranjan Biswar and Mohd Nadidul Haque.

Earlier today, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh was suspended from the Rajya Sabha for the remainder of this week for “throwing paper on the Chair” a day ago during proceedings of the House. Singh is the 20th MP from the Upper House who has been suspended for disrupting proceedings. This is the highest number of single-batch suspensions in the Upper House.

Meanwhile, a meeting of Opposition parties was held to discuss the issue of suspension of MPs. However, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Trinamool Congress (TMC) skipped the meeting.

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said that the Opposition will submit a request to the Speaker of Lok Sabha and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha to rescind the suspension of the members who raised their voices against the price rise.

Speaking to ANI, Kharge said, “The issues that we have been raising since the last 7 days regarding inflation and imposition of GST on essential commodities, today on the eighth day also we will raise our voice regarding the same. Common people are worried about this. We are also raising our voices continuously, but the government is not ready for discussion.”

“I personally met the chairman and said that you allow the discussion and tell the date and time, we will be ready for discussion, but the government is not ready to accept it. We will submit a request to Speaker and the Chairman to rescind the suspension of the members who raised their voices against the price rise,”he added.

He further said that the suspension of MPs which has been done at the behest of the government should be withdrawn with immediate effect.

“We have called a meeting of opposition parties. We will discuss amongst ourselves and appeal to the Speaker to withdraw the suspension of these 19 MPs. Those MPs who raise their voice against inflation should not suppress their voice by suspending them. This suspension, which has been done at the behest of the government, should be withdrawn with immediate effect,” he said.

On July 25, four Congress MPs including Manickam Tagore, Ramya Haridas, Jothimani and TN Prathapan were suspended from the Lok Sabha for the entire Monsoon session for their ‘unruly behaviour and disrupting proceedings.’

The MPs were suspended according to Rule 374 on ‘unruly and disrespectful behaviour towards the Chair.’

The Upper House has been facing adjournment on various issues due to the Opposition ruckus since the Parliament’s Monsoon Session started.

The Monsoon Session of Parliament commenced on July 18 and will continue till August 12. There will be 18 sittings during the Session.