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Apoorva Devanshi
Guest
The government introduced a motion on Monday to suspend 45 opposition MPs in the Rajya Sabha and 33 in the Lok Sabha(Total 78 MPs Suspended) for “unruly behaviour”. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, the leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, T.R. Baalu, Sougata Ray, Jairam Ramesh, K.C. Venugopal, Randeep Singh Surjewala, and Ram Gopal Yadav were among the individuals suspended.
They were raising placards, sloganeering in loud voices asking for a statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah. These opposition MPs hurried to the wells of the house. As a result the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha were repeatedly adjourned. So far 92 MPs have been suspended in the ongoing winter session which is scheduled to end on 22 December.
This led to a political spat among parties. Mallikarjun Kharge, the president of the Congress claimed that the autocratic Modi government was discarding democratic norms. He called it as “The height of tyranny“. Jairam Ramesh, a Congress MP who is also suspended, called the suspensions a “bloodbath“.
In an interview with a TV station, the Home Minister charged that the opposition for “politicizing” a “serious issue”. He informed that a high-level probe has been ordered and that the report will be submitted to the Speaker at the earliest. He though maintained that Parliament security “Is the responsibility of the Speaker“.
The BJP MP and Rajya Sabha Leader of the House Piyush Goyal asserted that the action was required because the opposition MPs insulted the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. While the opposition members called the move as the “Murder of Democracy.”
In 1989 about 63 Lok Sabha members were suspended for a week. This was on account of the loud protests against the Thakkar commission report which examined the assassination of Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Then 18 MPs were suspended in 2014 by Speaker Meira Kumar.
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla stated that ” If their conduct is far less than honourable then the record indiscipline calls for a record action. These decisions are not taken by the government but by the speaker with the consensus of the house.”
It should be noted that as per Rules of procedure and conduct (Rule 373, 374 and 374A) the speaker can suspend any member who disrupts the proceedings of the house. Similarly, the Rule 255 of the “General Rules of Procedure” of the Rajya Sabha provides Chairman the power of suspension. Even the parliamentary bulletin of July 2023 states that placards are strictly prohibited. Yet the MPs of the opposition brought placards and some even climbed the podium of the speaker! Completely disregarding the rules of the house.
Yes, opposition plays an important role in Democracy and should be granted the right to respectfully raise their opinions. However, when the opposition deliberately disruptions parliamentary proceedings for political or public attention. Then such conduct shouldn’t be ignored. For rights without duties are meaningless and would result in chaos as in America. Thus, the opposition should reflect on their conduct in the house and efforts should be made to engage in a healthy form of discussions. Its high time that the parliamentarians treat parliament as a temple of democracy and not a fish market. As its successful functioning is a joint responsibility of both the government and the opposition.
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They were raising placards, sloganeering in loud voices asking for a statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah. These opposition MPs hurried to the wells of the house. As a result the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha were repeatedly adjourned. So far 92 MPs have been suspended in the ongoing winter session which is scheduled to end on 22 December.
This led to a political spat among parties. Mallikarjun Kharge, the president of the Congress claimed that the autocratic Modi government was discarding democratic norms. He called it as “The height of tyranny“. Jairam Ramesh, a Congress MP who is also suspended, called the suspensions a “bloodbath“.
In an interview with a TV station, the Home Minister charged that the opposition for “politicizing” a “serious issue”. He informed that a high-level probe has been ordered and that the report will be submitted to the Speaker at the earliest. He though maintained that Parliament security “Is the responsibility of the Speaker“.
The BJP MP and Rajya Sabha Leader of the House Piyush Goyal asserted that the action was required because the opposition MPs insulted the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. While the opposition members called the move as the “Murder of Democracy.”
Interestingly, this isn’t the first time MPs are being suspended. In the past MPs have been suspended on account of their unruly behaviour or for disrupting the parliamentary proceedings.
In 1989 about 63 Lok Sabha members were suspended for a week. This was on account of the loud protests against the Thakkar commission report which examined the assassination of Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Then 18 MPs were suspended in 2014 by Speaker Meira Kumar.
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla stated that ” If their conduct is far less than honourable then the record indiscipline calls for a record action. These decisions are not taken by the government but by the speaker with the consensus of the house.”
It should be noted that as per Rules of procedure and conduct (Rule 373, 374 and 374A) the speaker can suspend any member who disrupts the proceedings of the house. Similarly, the Rule 255 of the “General Rules of Procedure” of the Rajya Sabha provides Chairman the power of suspension. Even the parliamentary bulletin of July 2023 states that placards are strictly prohibited. Yet the MPs of the opposition brought placards and some even climbed the podium of the speaker! Completely disregarding the rules of the house.
Yes, opposition plays an important role in Democracy and should be granted the right to respectfully raise their opinions. However, when the opposition deliberately disruptions parliamentary proceedings for political or public attention. Then such conduct shouldn’t be ignored. For rights without duties are meaningless and would result in chaos as in America. Thus, the opposition should reflect on their conduct in the house and efforts should be made to engage in a healthy form of discussions. Its high time that the parliamentarians treat parliament as a temple of democracy and not a fish market. As its successful functioning is a joint responsibility of both the government and the opposition.
The post 78 MPs Suspended from Parliament! appeared first on The Jaipur Dialogues.
Continue reading...