Twelve Rajya Sabha MPs were suspended for the remaining session of the Parliament on Monday, 29 November.
The Farm Laws Repeal Bill, 2021 on Monday, was passed in both the houses within minutes of its introduction. The houses saw vehement protest by Opposition MPs, with many ministers sloganeering for a discussion on the matter.
The Winter Session is scheduled to go on until 23 December.
Hours ahead of the session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that his government was "ready to answer all questions" and stressed on the importance of maintaining decorum.
Both houses of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, and Lok Sabha, will hold proceedings simultaneously for the next 20 working days.
As per a Lok Sabha notice, 26 new bills, including the highly-anticipated bill seeking to ban cryptocurrency and one revoking the three agricultural laws will be introduced in the Parliament during the session.
Past three Parliamentary sessions were also cut short in view of the health emergency.
The Winter Sessions is expected to be stormy as it comes ahead of the 2022 Assembly elections in Punjab, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Manipur, and Goa.
Strangulation of Democracy: Kharge on Suspension of MPs
Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge said that the suspension of the 12 MPs was a strangulation of democracy.
"We are meeting tomorrow to discuss future course of action. If voices of those who raise voices for others are suppressed, it's like strangulating the democracy. We condemn it, all parties condemn it," he said, as quoted by ANI.
Oppn Issues Joint Statement Over Suspension of 12 MPs
In a joint statement, leaders of Opposition parties condemn the "unwarranted and undemocratic suspension of 12 MPs."
"Floor leaders of Oppn parties of the Rajya Sabha will meet tomorrow to deliberate on the future course of action to resist authoritarian decision of the government and defend Parliamentary democracy," the statement said.
Opposition to Meet Over Suspension of 12 RS MPs
The Opposition parties have called a meeting on the next course of action over the suspension of 12 Rajya Sabha MPs, at LoP in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge's office tomorrow.
Rajya Sabha Adjourned
The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day.