7 Congress MPs suspended from Lok Sabha for throwing paper at Speaker

7 Congress MPs suspended from Lok Sabha for throwing paper at Speaker

Seven Congress MPs have been suspended from Lok Sabha for the remaining period of the Budget session for their gross misconduct after they snatched papers from the Speaker’s table and 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.

Once a member is named by the Chair, he or she 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.

However, later as the opposition raised questions on the suspension, the Speaker set up a committee to probe the government's demand for termination of membership of Congress MPs.

Congress terms suspension dictatorial

The Congress has alleged that the suspension of its seven members from Lok Sabha for the entire session was a "dictatorial decision" by the government aimed at weakening the Opposition's voice ahead of a debate over Delhi riots.

Reacting to the development, Congress's leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said it was a "government decision" and not one taken by the Speaker.

Asserting that the Congress members had done noting wrong, Chowdhury said it was a "dictatorial decision" and one that was motivated by "revenge politics".

"We saw revenge politics in House, orders were given by the chairperson to suspend seven Cong MPs for this session," he said.

Chowdhury alleged that the suspension was an attempt to weaken the party in the House as the government fears a discussion on the Delhi riots in Parliament.

"Whether suspending seven MPs is right, people will decide. We will not be scared and will continue to raise the Delhi riots issue," he said.

Gogoi, who was among the suspended MPs, said, "Suspend us for a year, but discuss the Delhi riots and heal the wounds of people."

"What happened today is a tale of embarrassment in the history of Parliament," Chowdhury said.

BJP welcomes Congress MPs' suspension

Meanwhile, the BJP welcomed the decision to suspend seven "unruly" MPs.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said his party has requested Speaker Om Birla to set up a panel to look into the continuous "indiscipline" by Congress members.

"Snatching papers from the Speaker's table is utmost disrespect to the Chair. We condemn this," he told reporters.

Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said the "unruly" behaviour of the Congress MPs was "unprecedented", and it would have shocked the country's founding fathers.

"We welcome the decision to suspend the unruly Congress members," he said.

Committee set up to probe suspension

After Congress's objection to suspension, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has agreed to set up a committee to investigate the government's demand for termination of membership of Congress MPs.