In a striking development, 78 MPs, including both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members, were
suspended today for staging protests in demand of a statement by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on
the security breach in Parliament on December 13. 14 MPs had been suspended earlier, also for
demanding a statement on the security breach. Now, the total number of MPs suspended in this session
stands at 92.
In Lok Sabha, 30 MPs have been suspended for the remainder of the session and three have been
suspended till the privileges committee submits a report on their conduct. As for Rajya Sabha, a total of
45 opposition MPs have been suspended. Earlier, Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien had been suspended
after he demanded a discussion on the breach.
The suspended MPs from Lok Sabha include Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Congress's leader in Lok Sabha,
and Gaurav Gogoi, deputy leader of the party in the House. Trinamool MPs Kalyan Banerjee, Satabdi
Roy, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Saugata Ray, and DMK members A Raja and Dayanidhi Maran are in the list
as well.
In Rajya Sabha, Congress's Jairam Ramesh and Randeep Singh Surjewala, DMK's Kanimozhi and RJD's
Manoj Kumar Jha are among those suspended.
Speaking to the media, Mr. Chowdhury said the government is behaving in a dictatorial manner and
treating the Parliament like BJP headquarters. He said the Opposition had been cooperating with the
government ever since the session began.
"This government has reached the apex of dictatorship. They have majority and they are wielding the
stick of power. They want to run Parliament like a party office. But that cannot happen. We were eager
for a discussion. The productivity of Parliament before December 13 is for all to see. It seems they find it
easier to talk to the media, but are scared to speak in Parliament," he said.
Mr Gogoi said the BJP government is bulldozing the Opposition and claimed that the Home Minister is
afraid of owning responsibility for the massive security breach that occurred on December 13. He said
they will continue their protest outside Lok Sabha.
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