On Thursday, thirteen opposition MPs from Lok Sabha and one MP from Rajya Sabha were suspended after the security breach in parliament on December 13.
Both the houses adjourned to discuss the incidents, by the opposition MPs who demanded the statements from the home minister and the prime minister that led to disruption and subsequent suspension.
Why the MPs are Protesting?
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The incident happened on December 13, when two unknown people violated the parliament’s security, entered the Lok Sabha chamber, and disrupted the chamber with canister smoke and shouting slogans. This raised the concern about such vulnerable incidents happening in government buildings.
To this, the opposition demanded do thorough investigation, as they felt that the government was responsible for the major security breach which amounted to raising questions and the silent protests to criticize the government over the suspensions of MPs.
Which Specific MPs Got Suspended from Parliament and Why?
T. N Prathapan, Hibi Eden, Jothimani, Ramya Haridas, Dean Kuriakose, V.K. Sreekadan, Benny Behanan, Mohammad Jawed and Manickam Tagore, all these nine MPs of Congress were suspended by the parliament.
Moreover, P.R. Natarajan and S. Venkatesan from CPI-M, K. Subbarayan (CPI), Kanimozhi (DMK) and one Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien (TMC) were suspended by the parliament for the misconduct.
The Parliament Affairs Minister, Pralhad Joshi moved the resolution to suspend nine Congress MPs for the entire session.
“I move the following that this House having taken misconduct of T.N Prathapan, Hibi Eden, Jothimani, Ramya Haridas, Dean Kuriakose, V.K. Sreekadan, Benny Behanan, Mohammad Jawed and Manickam Tagore in utter disregard to the House and the authority of this chair…to be suspended from the service of the House for reminder session,” the resolution read.
Meanwhile, the TMC’s MP Derek O’Brien got suspended for his ‘disrupting’ behaviour for the rest of this winter session. However, he refused to leave the House despite his suspension.
The Rajya Sabha MP K.C Venugopal called the suspension a “horrible and undemocratic move” by the parliament.
Reaction and Impact to the Suspension:
The decision to suspend parliamentary proceedings has sparked a strong reaction from the opposition, who have vehemently denounced it as an undemocratic move aimed at quashing dissenting voices.
According to them, the government’s move to use its majority to silence the opposition is a blatant abuse of power and a serious threat to the democratic process. They believe that this move has undermined the very foundation of parliamentary norms and values, and called on the government to reconsider its decision and allow for open and meaningful debate.
On the other side, the government also defended and called upon the suspension as the necessary order to maintain the decorum of the parliament. They slammed the opposition for their disruptive behaviour.
Moreover, the suspension of fourteen MPs could further strain the relationship between the govt and the opposition. This incident has even raised concern for the decorum of the parliament. Also, the use of suspension as a tool might cause harm.
It’s crucial to take note of a different perspective on the MP’s suspension. Some might think it is the right decision to maintain law and order, while some think it is an attack on the freedom of speech. So, it’s all up to the people on how they think and see the situation, because their opinion matters.
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