Suspension of MPs: INDIA bloc to hold protest at Jantar Mantar on Friday
A total of 143 opposition MPs have been suspended from both Houses of Parliament over the past week after they held protests and raised slogans demanding Union home minister Amit Shah’s statement on the December 13 security breach incident
The leaders of the opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc will hold a protest at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Friday against the suspension of the members of the parliament from both Houses, Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee chief Arvinder Singh Lovely said on Wednesday.
He said the Delhi Congress is organising the protest, which will begin at 11am on Friday, adding that the party has directed its district presidents to visit all 280 blocks in the city, interact with the people and urge them to participate in the demonstration.
A total of 143 opposition MPs have been suspended from both Houses of Parliament over the past week after they held protests and raised slogans demanding Union home minister Amit Shah’s statement on the December 13 security breach incident. On Wednesday, the total number of suspended MPs in the Lok Sabha reached 97 and in Rajya Sabha, it is 46.
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The Delhi Congress chief said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its National Democratic Alliance partners are scared, adding that the suspension of so many MPs amounts to insulting the sanctity of the Parliament.
Calling the move dictatorial, the Congress leader said that it has hurt the democratic goodwill of the country.
“It was the right of MPs to ask questions inside the Parliament. A large number of people from different parts of the city will raise their voice against the undemocratic move during the protest,” Lovely said after reviewing the preparations of the protest rally at Delhi Congress headquarters.
“Most of the INDIA bloc leaders, including MPs who have been suspended, are expected to participate in the demonstration,” Delhi Congress spokesperson Mukesh Sharma said.
After the lower house of the Parliament suspended the Opposition members, the Lok Sabha Secretariat issued a circular outlining strict measures restricting the suspended MPs from various parliamentary activities.
The circular detailed the repercussions of the suspension, stating that the MPs are prohibited from entering the Parliament chamber, lobby, and galleries for the duration of their suspension.
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Responding to the Congress’ announcement, Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said the Congress and the opposition parties are not allowing the Parliament to function and are disrupting the House due to their growing frustration over the defeat in the recent assembly elections and the imminent defeat that they are going to suffer in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
“They have been suspended due to their inappropriate behaviour. The theatrics of some opposition MPs in the Parliament complex have hurt the prestige and dignity of the House. The people will not participate in the Jantar Mantar rally because they have seen the hypocrisy of the opposition,” said Kapoor.
