The leaders of opposition on Monday issued a joint statement condemning the unwarranted and undemocratic suspension of 12 members in violation of all the Rules of Procedure of Rajya Sabha pertaining to suspension of members for the entire duration of the winter session have called for a meeting on Tuesday. The floor leaders of Opposition parties of Rajya Sabha will meet tomorrow to deliberate on the future course of action to resist the authoritarian decision of the government and defend parliamentary democracy.
Rajya Sabha on the first day of its business for the Winter Session today suspended 12 of its members for the rest of the current session on account of 'unruly and violent behaviour' during the Monsoon Session of Parliament.
The suspended MPs include six from Congress, two each from TMC and Shiv Sena and one each from CPM and CPI.
The suspended MPs are Elamaram Kareem (CPM), Phulo Devi Netam, Chhaya Verma, R Bora, Rajamani Patel, Syed Nasir Hussain and Akhilesh Prasad Singh of the Congress, Binoy Viswam of CPI, Dola Sen and Shanta Chhetri of Trinamool Congress, Priyanka Chaturvedi and Anil Desai of Shiv Sena.
The action has been taken against them for the 'indiscipline' in the monsoon session of the house.
Reacting to the suspension, Shiv Sena's Priyanka Chaturvedi said, "From District Court to Supreme Court, an accused is heard even there, lawyers are provided for them too, sometimes government officials are sent to take their version. Here our version was not taken." "If you see the CCTV footage it has been recorded how male marshals were jostling female MPs. All of this on one side and your decision on the other? What kind of unparliamentary behaviour is this?" she added.
Congress' Chhaya Verma termed the suspension "unfair and unjust" and said, "There were other members from other parties who created a ruckus but the chairman suspended me. PM Modi is doing just as he wishes since he enjoys a brute majority."
Congress MP Ripun Bora, called the suspension as "undemocratic". "We have not been given the opportunity to be heard. This is a one-sided, biased, vindictive decision. Opposition parties have not been consulted," he said.
Both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha witnessed ruckus on Monday, with sloganeering by Opposition MPs. They were demanding a discussion on the Bill to repeal the three farm laws.
Meanwhile, the 'Farm Laws Repeal Bill 2021' was passed by the Lok Sabha on Monday.
