"Witnessing suspension of members was painful, agonising, frustrating and disheartening," Kharge writes to RS chairman
Dec 22, 2023
New Delhi [India], December 22 : Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday wrote to Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, saying that witnessing the suspension of 146 members was 'painful, agonising, frustrating and disheartening'.
In his letter to Dhankhar, the Congress leader said that the Opposition parties were prepared to engage in a meaningful discussion on the issue of security breach which neither was admitted nor was he, as the Leader of the Opposition, or any other Member of the Opposition parties permitted to speak on the floor of the House, even for a minute or two.
"At the outset, I would like to state that as a committed opposition, we firmly believe in fostering dialogue and discussion, which are fundamental pillars of any parliamentary democracy. I would like to bring to your attention that multiple notices were submitted under the relevant rules of the Rules and Procedure of the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) to address the pressing issue of the breach of Parliament security," Kharge said.
"The opposition parties were prepared to engage in a meaningful discussion on the matter. Regrettably, these notices were neither admitted, nor was I, as the Leader of the Opposition, or any other Member of the Opposition parties permitted to speak on the floor of the House even for a minute or two," he added.
He further said that It is crucial to emphasize that the Opposition parties had a clear demand for the Minister of Home Affairs to apprise the House on the critical issue of breach of Parliamentary security and the role of a ruling party MP in facilitating the entry of the two intruders into the Lok Sabha gallery on December 13.
"This matter is of grave concern to the Parliament, Parliamentarians, and is also a significant national security issue. However, the demand was unequivocally ignored. Furthermore, the suspension of a considerable number of opposition MPs occurred in multiple instances blatantly violating the Rules and Procedure," he said.
The Congress veteran further said that the suspension of members on such a large scale is 'detrimental' to the core principles of the country's parliamentary democracy.
"Witnessing the suspension of Members was painful, agonising, frustrating and disheartening," he said.
"I am also hopeful that as Chairman you will accommodate the concerns of the Opposition at all times. The Government will have its way but the Opposition must, you will readily agree, have its say. I have no doubt that you will uphold this basic principle of parliamentary democracy in letter and spirit," Kharge said.
He also reiterated his commitment to open discussion and dialogue.
"I am more than willing to engage in a meeting with you at a mutually convenient date and time in the near future to address these concerns constructively," he said.
Notably, on the anniversary of the 2001 Parliament attack, two people jumped into the chamber of the Lower House of Parliament from the public gallery during Zero Hour, released yellow gas from canisters and shouted slogans before being overpowered by MPs.
100 MPs were suspended from Lok Sabha, and another 46 from Rajya Sabha for unruly behaviour, disrupting proceedings by showing placards and raising slogans over the breach issue.
The suspensions come as opposition MPs have demanded a statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the security breach in Parliament.
