Wave Of Suspensions In Parl: Count Hits 141

The Lok Sabha Speaker suspended 49 more Opposition members on Tuesday, a day after a record 78 parliamentarians from both houses were ordered out till at least the end of the Winter session, deepening the crisis in India’s Parliament where some crucial bills were tabled, briefly discussed, and sailed through.

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With Tuesday’s 49, Monday’s 78, and the 14 last week, a total of 141 Opposition members have now been suspended from Parliament. Of these, 95 are from the Lok Sabha and 46 from the Rajya Sabha.

The number is unprecedented, and far surpasses the 63 lawmakers who were suspended in 1989 during a debate on a report on former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s assassination.

Among the MPs ordered out in the latest wave of were Nationalist Congress Party’s Supriya Sule, Jammu & Kashmir National Conference MP Farooq Abdullah, Congress leaders Shashi Tharoor and Karti Chidambaram, Bahujan Samaj Party’s Danish Ali, and Samajwadi Party’s Dimple Yadav.

Parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi, who spoke before law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, moved a motion on Tuesday for the suspension of the MPs, calling them “frustrated”. Several leaders from the other side hit back, describing the actions of the Speaker as a “complete purge”.

The bone of contention remained the Opposition’s demand that Union home minister Amit Shah speak in Parliament and a discussion be held on the December 13 security breach, when two men stormed into the Lok Sabha and set off smoke cannisters on the floor of the House.

“They had agreed not to bring placards. They are frustrated with their loss, so taking such steps. These people will not come back in the House next time if this behaviour continues,” Joshi said. “They are insulting the chair and the people of India by bringing placards,” he added.