Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla Revokes Suspension Of 7 Congress MPs

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla revoked the suspension of seven Congress lawmakers on Wednesday. The MPs wee suspended over ‘unruly behaviour’ during the Delhi riot debate in the Lower House. Latest reports say that the decision of revoking the week-long suspension was taken at an all-party meeting. The Congress MPs were suspended for the remaining Budget Session of Parliament. The seven Congress MPs were - Raj Mohan Unnithan (Kasaragod - Kerala); TN Prathapan (Thrissur - Kerala); Dean Kuriakose (Idukki - Kerala); Benny Behanan (Chalakudy - Kerala); Manickam Tagore (Virudhunagar - Tamil Nadu); Gaurav Gogoi (Kaliabor - Assam) and Gurjeet Singh Aujla (Amritsar - Punjab). On March 5, Meenakshi Lekhi, the presiding officer, told the Lower House that the Congress lawmakers were being suspended under rule number 374 of the Parliamentary affairs. The MPs were suspended for forcefully snatching papers form other lawmakers during the ongoing Budget Session of Parliament.

"Some members snatched papers and threw papers at Speaker's Chair. In the history Parliament, this was the for the first time that such unfortunate incident took place when someone snatched the papers related to the House Proceedings from the Chair," Meenakshi Lekhi had said while delivering the suspension order in the Lok Sabha.

The motion was passed by a voice vote amid protests by opposition members. Lekhi then asked the seven members to leave Lok Sabha chambers immediately and then adjourned the House for the day. reacting on the suspension, Gaurav Gogoi said ‘suspend us for a year, but discuss Delhi riots and heal wounds of people.’ “Is this a dictatorship? It seems the government doesn't want Delhi violence issue to be discussed in Parliament that is why this suspension. We strongly condemn this,” Adhir Ranjan Chaudhary, Congress leader in Lok Sabha had said.

Meanwhile, all eyes are on Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement on Delhi riots. . The Congress and other Opposition parties have been pressing for the debate on the issue. Earlier there were reports about the Home Minister speaking on Delhi riots on March 2, the day the second phase of the Budget Session had resumed. However, Wednesday’s discussion is likely to take place as per the listed schedule. The Narendra Modi government has listed discussion on Delhi Riots in Lok Sabha from 1pm onwards today. Sources say that the Home Minister will reply around 6pm later in the day. Lawmaker Meenakshi Lekhi will initiate discussion from BJP Side.