"This is not good for democracy": Mallikarjun Kharge on suspension of MPs from Parliament
Dec 19, 2023
New Delhi [India], December 19 : Amid the ongoing protest against the suspension of several opposition MPs from both the Houses, LoP Rajya Sabha and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and said that this is not good for democracy.
Members of opposition parties held protests in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue inside Parliament premises on Tuesday against the suspension of MPs for the remainder of the ongoing winter session of Parliament.
Led by Congress President and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar, the protesters carried playcards, reading, "Democracy under siege, We wouldn't be caged," and "Why PM and HM are silent.".
Speaking to ANI, Kharge said, "This is not good for democracy. It is an insult to Parliament. They are suspending the MPs to scare us."
The Congress chief said several MPs have tried to put forward their opinions so far in Parliament.
"But Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah did not want to show up in the House. They are delivering lectures in Varanasi and Ahmedabad amid the ongoing session of the Parliament," he added.
Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav said, "The way MPs are being suspended, it seems they (the ruling party) look at the opposition as a non-entity."
Suspended opposition MPs also held protests against the government at Parliament's Makar Dwar on Tuesday.
Congress leader Sonia Gandhi also joined the protests.
Congress MP Digvijaya Singh said that the BJP is absolutely unaware of the concept of democracy
"The organisation (BJP) which Narendra Modi represents as the Prime Minister of the country, is absolutely unaware of the concept of democracy. This was a pre-planned attack to abolish Parliamentary democracy. They are following Hitler's example. What if this smoke bomb had a toxic gas like 'Sarin', what if this was a fidayeen? All members could have lost their lives. They always claimed the new Parliament building to have security of the highest order, but we saw absolutely contradictory scenes," he said.
Meanwhile, barely minutes into the resumption of proceedings on Tuesday, both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned following a ruckus by Opposition MPs over the Parliament security breach incident and the bulk suspensions of the fellow members.
Both the Houses have since been adjourned till 2 p.m.
A total of 141 MPs, 95 from Lok Sabha and 46 from Rajya Sabha, were suspended following a ruckus over the demand by the Opposition for a statement from Union Minister Amit Shah on the Parliament security breach incident.
The reason for the suspension of opposition MPs for the rest of the Winter Session was cited to be 'misconduct' and failure to adhere to the directions of the Chair.
