7 Lok Sabha MPs Suspended, Cong Asks ‘Is This a Dictatorship?’

Congress responded by saying, “The government doesn’t want the Delhi violence issue to be discussed in Parliament.”

The Congress responded to the suspensions by saying, “It seems that the government doesn’t want the Delhi violence issue to be discussed in Parliament.”

(Photo: PTI/Altered by The Quint)

Video Editor: Vivek Gupta
Video Producer: Rupsha Bhadra

Lok Sabha on Thursday, 5 March, passed a motion suspending seven Congress members for the remaining period of the Budget session for their "gross misconduct" after they snatched papers from the Speaker's table and showed "utter disregard" for House rules.

As soon as the House met at 3 pm following an adjournment, Meenakshi Lekhi, who was presiding the House, named Gaurav Gogoi, T N Prathapan, Dean Kuriakose, Manicka Tagore, Rajmohan Unnithan, Benny Behanan and Gurjeet Singh Aujla.

The Congress responded by saying, “It seems that the government doesn't want the Delhi violence issue to be discussed in Parliament.”

Once a member is named by the Chair, they cannot attend the House for that day.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Prahlad Joshi, then moved a motion to suspend these members from the House for the remaining period of the Budget session. The motion was passed by a voice vote amid protests by opposition members.

Lekhi then asked the seven members to leave Lok Sabha chambers immediately and then adjourned the House for the day.

After his suspension, Gaurav Gogoi took to Twitter to request the Lok Sabha to discuss the violence in Delhi on Friday, asking the MPs to show “accountability towards the very people who voted for you.”

BJP: ‘Height of Indiscipline and Arrogance’

Parliamentary Affairs Minister and BJP leader Prahlad Joshi said, “They reached the height of indiscipline and arrogance. Some pieces of paper were directly thrown at Speaker's chair (in Lok Sabha). This is highly condemnable & unpardonable."

Cong: ‘Is This a Dictatorship?’

Adhir Ranjan Chaudhary, Congress leader in Lok Sabha, reacted to the suspension of seven of his party MPs by asking, “Is this a dictatorship? It seems that the government doesn't want the Delhi violence issue to be discussed in Parliament that is why these suspensions have been made. We strongly condemn this.”