The Rajya Sabha faced disruptions on Tuesday as Opposition MPs protested against the suspension of 45 of their colleagues on Monday, marking the largest-ever action taken in the history of the Parliament’s Upper House. The disruptions led to the adjournment of the House till noon.
As the House assembled at 11 am, Opposition MPs began sloganeering during the ‘Zero Hour,’ expressing their objection to the suspensions. Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, in an attempt to maintain the dignity of the House, appealed to Parliamentarians to support the functioning of the House. However, the protests continued, leading to the adjournment.
Chairman Dhankhar had earlier rejected four notices under Rule 267 submitted by Opposition MPs, stating that they lacked merit. The suspension of 45 MPs on Monday was a response to their “misconduct” during House proceedings.
34 suspended MPs are barred from remaining in the Winter Session, while 11 face suspension until the Rajya Sabha’s Committee of Privileges reports are received. Members of the suspended MPs come from a variety of parties, including the Congress, TMC, DMK, RJD, CPI(M), JDU, NCP, SP, JMM, Kerala Congress (M), and an Independent legislator.
The suspension of MPs in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha has heightened tensions between the ruling and opposition parties, raising concerns about the functioning of Parliament during the ongoing session, which concludes on December 22. The suspended MPs are barred from participating in House proceedings until the respective committees submit their reports, adding a layer of uncertainty to the session’s trajectory.