Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, Dec.8: 120 Rajya Sabha Opposition MPs will join a sit-in protest in the Parliament Complex today over the suspension of 12 Upper House members.
Twelve Opposition MPs — six from the Congress, two each from the Trinamool Congress and the Shiv Sena, and one each from the CPI and CPI(M) – have been on strike indefinitely since they were suspended last week for the entire Winter Session of Parliament for their “unruly” behaviour during the previous session in August.
The suspension of the MPs has caused havoc in the Upper House, which did not conduct any significant activity on Tuesday for the second day in a row.
Opposition parties have stated that they will continue to protest until the MPs’ suspensions are lifted.
The government, on the other hand, maintains that the MPs who have been suspended must first apologise for their disorderly behaviour in the House.
Mallikarjun Kharge, the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, told reporters outside Parliament that the suspension was illegal and undemocratic. Members of the Lok Sabha were also encouraged to join the sit-in by the Congress leader.
“The government bears sole responsibility for the Rajya Sabha’s impasse. We’ve spoken with the chairman and the government, emphasising that members cannot be suspended in this manner. They have wrongfully and undemocratically suspended 12 members of Parliament for events that occurred during the previous Monsoon session, ” he stated.
Kharge also said that the administration must first name each member and explain why they have been suspended, and only then can the suspension take place, adding that ‘that, too, should have happened on August 11.’
“After the House is prorogued, the administration no longer has the authority to suspend members during the previous session.Their suspension is not in accordance with the regulations or the Constitution,” he added.
“It appears that the government’s objective is to prevent the House from functioning. Our campaign will continue until their suspension is lifted,” Kharge stated.
