Panel to study House washout
RUCKUS Seven Cong MPS were suspended following their demand for discussion on Delhi riots that claimed 53 lives
NEW DELHI: A committee, chaired by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, will look into the incidents that took place in the House between March 2 and 5, it was informed on Friday after the Opposition demanded revocation of the suspension of seven Congress MPS.
The announcement was made by BJP MP Kirit Premjibhai Solanki, who was presiding the proceedings of Lok Sabha.
The House had witnessed uproarious scenes since the Budget Session began on March 2 as the Opposition repeatedly demanded a discussion on the Delhi violence that claimed at least 53 lives. During a discussion on the coronavirus outbreak on Thursday, an RLP member made some controversial remarks against Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her family members triggering a strong reaction from Congress members.
While protesting the remarks, Congress member Gaurav Gogoi pulled papers from the Speaker’s table and flung them in the air.
Gogoi and six other members were suspended from the House for the remainder of the Budget Session. Soon after the House reassembled at 12 noon on Friday after an adjournment, Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury raised the issue of the suspension of the seven party members from the House and demanded that it be revoked.
Leaders of other Opposition parties also raised the similar demand.
Sudip Bandyopadhyay (TMC), Dayanidhi Maran (DMK) and Supriya Sule (NCP) said the decision to suspend the seven members should be recalled as the “punishment” was “disproportionate”. Parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi justified the punishment to the Congress members for unruly behaviour.
At the end of the discussion, Solanki informed the members that a committee, led by Birla and having members from all political parties, would be formed to look into the incidents that had happened between March 2 and 5.
Proceedings of Lok Sabha were later adjourned for the day amid continued protests by the Opposition over the Delhi violence and other issues. The House will reassemble on Wednesday (March 11) after the Holi break.
Meanwhile, TMC Rajya Sabha member Derek O’brien on Friday gave a 10-minute speech, not in the House, but from a corridor of the Parliament building, in protest against, what he called, the government’s reluctance to discuss the Delhi violence.
O’brien, who is leader of the party in Rajya Sabha, said opposition parties have given notices five days in a row to discuss the issue, but these have not been accepted. “I have been ready with the speech on behalf of the TMC. Mr Chairman sir what can I do, the government is stalling Parliament. Today on Friday, I need to make my speech and I am making it not in the chamber but on the first floor. We have to look at different ways to have our voices heard. So here I am,” he said.