"Nothing like this has ever happened in history": DMK MP TR Baalu on suspension of members from Parliament
Dec 18, 2023
New Delhi [India], December 18 : Following the suspension of 46 opposition MPs in two days from Lok Sabha for the remainder of the Winter Session, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP TR Baalu on Monday criticised the central government stating that nothing like this has ever happened in the history.
"Today 33 Lok Sabha MPs have been suspended...The House has to be run peacefully but it depends on the behaviour of the ruling party," Baalu told ANI.
Earlier on December 14, a total of 13 MPs were suspended from the Lok Sabha for demanding statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Parliament security breach.
"Nothing like this has happened in the history of the Indian Parliament. The government's response is very poor," he added.
Today a total of thirty-three opposition MPs, including Congress leader Adhir Ranjan, TMC's Saugata Roy and Kalyan Banerjee and DMK's TR Baalu, A Raja and Dayanidhi Maran, were suspended from Lok Sabha for the remaining part of the winter session for "misconduct" and not obeying the directions of the Chair.
The motion for the suspension of MPs was moved by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi. When the House reassembled at 3 pm after adjournments earlier, BJP MP Rajendra Agrawal, who was in the Chair, said that the members had been violating rules.
"You have been repeatedly requested not to bring placards to the House," he said.
Meanwhile, in the biggest ever action in the history of Parliamemt in a day, the Rajya Sabha on Monday suspended 45 Opposition MPs for their "misconduct" during proceedings of the House.
A total of 45 MPs including senior Congress leaders, such as Jairam Ramesh, KC Venugopal and Randeep Surjewala.
Earlier, TMC MP Derek O'Brien was suspended from the Upper House.
Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge also lashed out at the central government over the suspension of MPs.
"First, intruders attacked Parliament. Then Modi Govt attacking Parliament and Democracy All Democratic norms are being thrown into the dustbin by an autocratic Modi Govt by suspending 47 MPs. We have two simple and genuine demands - 1. The Union Home Minister should make a statement in both Houses of Parliament on the inexcusable breach in the Parliament security. 2. A detailed discussion should be held on the same," Kharge wrote in a post on 'X'.
"PM can give an interview to a newspaper; Home Minister can give interviews to TV channels. But, they have ZERO accountability left to the Parliament - which represents the PEOPLE OF INDIA ! With an Opposition-Less Parliament, the Modi Govt can now bulldoze important pending legislations, crush any dissent, without any debate," he added.
