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Over 90 opposition members suspended from Indian Parliament amid protests over security breach

by Trans World Features | @twfindia 18 Dec 2023, 08:18 am

Rajya Sabha on Monday (December 18, 2023) suspended 45 MPs for the remainder of the Winter Season, just hours after Lok Sabha witnessed the suspension of 33 members amid the opposition's protest demanding Union Home Minister Amit Shah's statement over the Parliament security breach.

Among the 33 MPs, three have been suspended for their "grave misconduct" till the report of the Privileges Committee.

As pandemonium continued, Speaker Om Birla adjourned the Lok Sabha for the day.

While most opposition members demanded Home Minister Amit Shah to come to the House and give a statement on the December 13 security breach in the Lok Sabha, several of them demanded his resignation.

Earlier in the morning, Speaker Om Birla highlighted the measures taken to strengthen the security mechanism of Parliament.

He said that probe is underway in the matter and a Parliamentary high-powered committee has also been set up to investigate the security breach issue.

"Maintaining dignity and decorum of the House is the responsibility of every member and displaying placards and raising slogans are against the rule," Birla said as quoted by UNI.

Congress says democracy has been suspended

Reacting to the development, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, who is among one of the suspended Rajya Sabha MPs, posted on X: "13 INDIA MPs were suspended from the Lok Sabha on 14th December for demanding a statement from the Home Minister on the shocking security breach of December 13th."

"Today 33 more INDIA MPs, including a number of floor leaders, were suspended from the Lok Sabha for making the same perfectly legitimate demand. Tanashahi ka Doosra Naam ModiShahi hai— democracy has been suspended!" he said.

In another post, he said: "Not only in the Lok Sabha, today was a bloodbath in the Rajya Sabha with 45 INDIA party MPs getting suspended for demanding a statement by the Home Minister on the December 13th security breach, and for demanding that the Leader of the Opposition be allowed to speak. Incidentally, I too figure in this Roll of Honour — for the first time in my parliamentary career of 19 years."

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge targeted the Centre over the incident and said the government could now bulldoze important pending legislation without any debate on the floor of the Parliament.

"With an Opposition-Less Parliament, the Modi Govt can now bulldoze important pending legislations, crush any dissent, without any debate," he posted on X.

Thirteen opposition MPs from Lok Sabha and one from Rajya Sabha were suspended last week over alleged "unruly" behaviour.

The total number ofsuspended MPs from the Parliament now stands at 92.

Parliament security breach:

Last week, two people jumped into the chamber of the Lok Sabha and raised slogans.

They also opened coloured smoke canisters in the house, triggering panic and tension on Wednesday.

Six people have been arrested in connection with the incident so far.