“Just because you enjoy majority…”: Priyanka Chaturvedi slams Centre on AAP MPs suspension
Aug 11, 2023
New Delhi [India], August 11 : Calling the suspension of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MPs Sanjay Singh and Raghav Chadha ‘undemocratic’, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi on Friday hit out at the Centre and said that just because BJP enjoy a majority in the Parliament does not mean that they can suppress the voice of the Opposition.
She further said that it is a tradition to go in the well of the House adding that former Union Minister Arun Jaitley used to say that disruption is a part of democracy.
"It is such an undemocratic decision...What was Sanjay Singh's mistake? It is a tradition to go in the well of the House. Arun Jaitley used to say that it is part of democracy, disruption is part of democracy...What wrong did Raghav Chadha do? He even showed the rule book...It is unfortunate & undemocratic. Just because you enjoy a majority in the Parliament does not mean that you suppress the voice of the opposition...", MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said.
AAP MP Raghav Chadha was suspended on Friday from the Rajya Sabha for “breach of privilege” after complaints of ‘fraud’.
The move came after a complaint from four MPs alleging he named them in a House panel without their consent.
Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, while announcing Chadha’s suspension, said, "...I suspend Raghav Chadha from the service of the Council till the Council has the benefit of the report by the Committee of Privileges."
His suspension followed a motion moved by the Leader of the House Piyush Goyal who sought action against the AAP leader for including names of some members of the Upper House without their consent in a proposed select committee for the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
Earlier on August 8, Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the Rajya Sabha alleged fraud after five MPs of the Upper House — S Phangnon Konyak, Narhari Amin and Sudhanshu Trivedi of BJP, M Thambidurai of AIADMK and Sasmit Patra of BJD — said that their name was included without their consent in a motion moved by Chadha in the House.
“Two members (BJD MP Sasmit Patra and BJP MP Dr Sudhanshu Trivedi) are saying that they have not signed the motion (to be part of select committee) moved by AAP MP Raghav Chadha. Now it is a matter of investigation how the motion was signed,” said Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Rajya Sabha on Delhi Services Bill.
Sanjay Singh was suspended from the Rajya Sabha in July for the remainder of the session for “repeatedly violating” the directions of the chair.
