Members of the INDIA bloc in Parliament, including those who have been suspended, are set to conduct a demonstration in front of the Gandhi statue within the Parliament premises on Tuesday morning, protesting against their suspension and the alleged ‘security breach’ incident.
Opposition lawmakers remain steadfast in their pursuit of accountability for the Parliament security breach that occurred on December 13, demanding a statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah during the parliamentary session.
Scheduled for 10:30 am, the protest in front of the Gandhi statue is aimed at drawing attention to the grievances of the suspended MPs.
On Monday, a total of 78 MPs, comprising 33 from the Lok Sabha and 45 from the Rajya Sabha, faced suspension following disruptions over the Opposition’s demand for a statement from Union Minister Amit Shah regarding the security breach. Among them, 34 Rajya Sabha MPs from the opposition, including Congress members Jairam Ramesh, KC Venugopal, and Randeep Singh Surjewala, were suspended for the remainder of the session. The “misconduct” of 11 others was referred to the Privileges Committee, tasked with submitting a report within three months. Their suspension will be in effect until the panel’s report is presented.
The rationale behind the suspension of opposition MPs for the remainder of the Winter Session was attributed to “misconduct” and failure to comply with the Chair’s directives.
In response to the suspensions on Monday, opposition MPs strongly criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, labeling it “autocratic.” Mallikarjun Kharge stated that “democratic norms are being thrown into the dustbin by an autocratic Modi government by suspending 47 MPs.” In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he emphasized the opposition’s demands for a statement from Shah on the security breach and a discussion in both houses.
Congress’ suspended MP Randeep Singh Surjewala denounced the suspension as an attack on democracy, the Constitution of India, and the country’s cultural diversity. He expressed concern over the unprecedented suspension of 92 MPs from both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, characterizing it as an assault on the rights of representatives and the democratic fabric of the nation.
