Chaos erupted in the Lok Sabha today as Speaker Om Birla suspended 31 opposition MPs for the remainder of the Winter Session. The dramatic move came in response to protests by opposition members, who displayed placards demanding a statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the recent security breach in Parliament on December 13, 2023.
The suspended MPs, including Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, held up placards with slogans like "Parliament Ki Suraksha Khao, Amit Shah Jawab Do" (Ensure Parliament's Security, Amit Shah Answer Us) and "We Want Justice for Security Breach." This triggered strong objections from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members, leading to heated exchanges and disruptions in proceedings.
Speaker Birla initially called for order and appealed to the opposition to resume their seats. However, when the protests continued, he invoked Rule 373 of the House rules, which empowers him to suspend members for disorderly conduct. In a stern message, Birla condemned the display of placards as a "breach of decorum and disrespect to the House," prompting an uproar from the opposition benches.
Following the suspension, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi accused the government of suppressing dissent and undermining the rights of opposition members. "This is a dark day for democracy," she stated, pointing out that the suspension came on the day Parliament was commemorating the martyrdom of Guru Teg Bahadur, a champion of freedom and human rights.
Meanwhile, BJP leaders defended the Speaker's decision, arguing that displaying placards constituted a serious violation of parliamentary rules and decorum. Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi accused the opposition of "cheap tactics" and disrupting the functioning of the House.
The suspension of 31 MPs from various opposition parties, including Congress, Trinamool Congress, DMK, and the Left, is likely to further escalate tensions in Parliament and cast a shadow over the remaining days of the Winter Session. The incident raises questions about the limits of dissent and the right to protest within the legislative body, sparking concerns over the state of parliamentary discourse in India.
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