LOGJAM CONTINUES OVER ‘UNRULY’ MPS’ SUSPENSION

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Tuesday said that if the suspended Rajya Sabha MPs apologize, their suspension will be revoked. However, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday said that the government was responsible for “obstructions” in the Upper House today and termed the suspension of 12 Opposition MPs as “wrong”.

The Union Minister also said that the ministers explained the reason for the suspension of the MPs during the BJP parliamentary party meeting held today at Dr Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi, which was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “We explained why they had to be suspended. The country has witnessed whatever took place. It is on record. If they apologize even today, we are ready to withdraw the suspension,” Joshi told media persons after the BJP’s parliamentary party meet. A total of 12 Opposition MPs were suspended from Rajya Sabha for the remaining winter session of the Parliament for allegedly creating ruckus on the last day of the monsoon session. Kharge, while addressing media persons on Tuesday, said: “The Government is responsible for the obstructions arising in the Rajya Sabha today. We tried a lot to facilitate the functioning of the House, we met Leader of the House and Chairman repeatedly to put forth our views that MPs can be suspended only as per Rule 256. But they ignored the rules, wrongfully brought the events of the monsoon session to winter session, and suspended our 12 MPs.”

The suspended members comprise six from the Congress, two each from Trinamool Congress and Shiv Sena, and one each from CPI and CPM: Phulo Devi Netam, Chhaya Verma, Ripun Bora, Rajamani Patel, Syed Nasir Hussain and Akhilesh Prasad Singh of Congress; Dola Sen, Shanta Chhetri of Trinamool Congress; Priyanka Chaturvedi, Anil Desai of Shiv Sena; Elamaram Kareem of CPM; and, Binoy Viswam of CPI.