Lok Sabha on Thursday passed a motion suspending seven Congress members for the remaining period of the budget session for their "gross misconduct" after they snatched papers from the Speaker's table with "utter disregard" for House rules.
As soon as the House met at 3pm following an adjournment, Meenakshi Lekhi, who was presiding the House, named Gaurav Gogoi, T.N. Prathapan, Dean Kuriakose, Manicka Tagore, Rajmohan Unnithan, Benny Behanan and Gurjeet Singh Aujla.
"We did nothing wrong. We saw revenge politics in the house as orders were given by chairperson to suspend seven Congress MPs for this session. The suspension is an attempt to weaken us," said Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Congress leader in Lok Sabha. "The government fears discussion on Delhi riots in Parliament. This is government decision, not a decision by the Speaker; what kind of dictatorship is this" he further questioned.
"Suspend us for a year, but discuss Delhi riots and heal wounds of people," said Gogoi, one of the suspended MPs.
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However, the BJP hit out that the Congress MPs demonstrated utmost disrespect in Parliament. "Snatching papers from Speaker's table is utmost disrespect to Chair, we condemn this. We have requested the Speaker to set up a panel to look into continuous indiscipline by the Congress members," said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi.
Speaker Om Birla had expressed his concerns over the unruly scenes that were witnessed in the house for the last two days.
Birla did not preside over the proceedings of Lok Sabha for second day in row as he was "anguished and saddened" by the unruly protests inside the house. BJD MP Bhartuhari Mahtab, who presided over the house on Thursday, had expressed Birla’s anguish as MPs continued with their protests as Lok Sabha assembled.
Mahtab said, “We do not bring credit to ourselves by disrupting the proceedings of the House. The Speaker was very sad about the things that happened day before yesterday.”
Once a member is named by the Chair, he or she cannot attend the House for that day.
Mahtab requested agitating Congress MPs to return to their seats and let the house function. The MPs were demanding discussion on Delhi riots, and resignation of Home Minister Amit Shah. The government had said they were ready for discussion only after the Holi festival, which the Opposition did not agree to.
Presenting the government’s view, Parliamentary Affairs minister Prahlad Joshi said, “Three-fourths members want that the House to run and the Question Hour should go on. The government is ready to discuss on March 11 the unfortunate incident which has taken place in Delhi.”
Joshi then moved a motion to suspend these members from the house for the remaining period of the Budget session. The motion was passed by a voice vote amid protests by opposition members.
Lekhi then asked the seven members to leave Lok Sabha chambers immediately and then adjourned the House for the day.
(With inputs from Pratul Sharma)
