Four Congress MPs have been suspended for the entire monsoon session from Lok Sabha. The action by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Prakash Birla comes amid huge protests by opposition members against government over inflation among other issues, which have been going on since last week when the monsoon session kicked off.
On Monday, the sixth day of the fresh session in Parliament, Om Prakash Birla gave a final warning to the parliamentarians demonstrating inside the house. “This is a temple of democracy,” said Birla amid demonstrations even as carrying of placards and holding protests within the Parliament premises was banned just before the monsoon session began.
“The government is ready to hold discussions,” he insisted, stressing that he was ready to resume session after 3 pm if chaos could be put to a halt. “The nation wants Parliament to function. But with this kind of chaos… the House can’t function,” the Speaker said. The Parliament session began late on Monday due to the oath-taking event of Droupadi Murmu, India’s 15th president.
However, as the chaos continued even after 3 pm, Manickam Tagore, Ramya Haridas, Jothimani and TN Prathapan were suspended in an unprecedented action. Visuals showed them standing together carrying placards on inflation.
The opposition has been protesting against inflation and rise in the price of LPG, which affects many households. Last week, Rahul Gandhi too had joined the demonstrations.
Om Prakash Birla – last week too – had warned the opposition MPs on carrying placards inside the parliament.
This could trigger a fresh standoff between the Congress and the BJP, which have sparred over the past week over the Enforcement Directorate summons to Sonia Gandhi in the National Herald case, and remarks of Congress leaders on Smriti Irani and her daughter, linked to a Goa property.