Picture : ANI/ X
Fourteen opposition MPs from different parties were suspended from the Lok Sabha for the remaining period of Winter Session for disrupting House proceedings.
Amid demands from the opposition for a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the security breach in Lok Sabha, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi moved two resolutions on separate occasions for the suspension of the MPs.
Before their suspension, the MPs moved into the Well of the House raising slogans with demand of a statement from the government on the Wednesday security breach.
#WATCH | Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on December 13 Parliament security breach incident
He says, “… Yesterday’s incident was witnessed by the entire country…Every day there are talks about the security, power and development of the country…but inside the security is… pic.twitter.com/4B7SoUw7AH
— ANI (@ANI) December 14, 2023
The House witnessed the first adjournment during the question hour when it was adjourned till 2 pm amid opposition’s uproar.
At 2 pm, Joshi read a statement on behalf of the government and said the internal security in Parliament comes under the purview of the Speaker.
He then moved a resolution amid the din to suspend five MPs.
“I move the following that this House having taken misconduct of T N Prathapan, Hibi Eden, Jothimani, Ramya Haridas and Dean Kuriakose in utter disregard to the House and the authority of this Chair and having been named by the chair … to be suspended from the service of the House for reminder session,” the resolution read.
The House was then adjourned till 3 pm.
As soon as the House met at 3 pm, Joshi moved a second resolution to suspend VK Sreekandan (Cong), Benny Behanan (Cong), Mohammad Jawed (Cong), PR Natarajan (CPI-M), Kanimozhi (DMK), K Subbarayan (CPI), SR Parthiban (DMK), S Venkatesan (CPI-M), and Manickam Tagore (Cong).
#WATCH | On her suspension from Lok Sabha for the remainder of the winter session, DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi says, “There is an MP who has actually given the passes for these (accused of Parliament security breach) people to come in. No action has been taken against that MP.… pic.twitter.com/UtG9m1otxp
— ANI (@ANI) December 14, 2023
Congress MP Manickam Tagore told ANI , “It is an intelligence failure and we hope for a fair investigation of the matter… Home Minister Amit Shah must answer, as the Delhi Police and all security agencies report to him. He cannot run away from this responsibility… BJP MP Mr. Simha provided passes to these culprits, there is a very deep conspiracy behind this and he must not be left unpunished.”
An MP claimed later that Prathiban was named among the suspended MPs even as he is not present in Delhi and is in Chennai.
Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal told ANI , “It is shocking and this is the culture that they have developed in this. The moment you oppose something – they don’t allow you to speak. If you say something, they will say nothing that you are saying is going on record. So what’s the point of being a member of Parliament and participating in our discussion. You should have a healthy discussion in the House. We used to have it…”
The House was adjourned to meet again on Friday. Some of the suspended members continued to protest in the House even after the adjournment. A few of them came out after some time.
Opposition members in the Lok Sabha on Thursday held vociferous protests demanding a statement from the government on the Parliament security breach even as Speaker Om Birla asserted that security of the Parliament complex is the responsibility of the Lok Sabha Secretariat.
Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Derek O’Brien was suspended from the Rajya Sabha for the remainder of the winter session of Parliament and the matter referred to the privileges committee as he did not leave the House even after repeated directions from Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar.
The Winter Session of Parliament, which started on December 4, will conclude on December 22.
