Decision taken with 'heavy heart': BJP on suspension of 19 Opposition MPs from Rajya Sabha

New Delhi: The ruling BJP on Tuesday said the decision to suspend 19 opposition MPs from the Rajya Sabha was taken with a "heavy heart" as they repeatedly ignored the Chair's appeals to let the House function and infringed on other members' rights. Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha Piyush Goyal asserted that it is not the government but the Opposition that is running away from a debate in Parliament. 

The Union Minister reiterated that the government is ready for a discussion on price rise once Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman fully recovers from COVID-19 and returns to Parliament.

We're ready for discussion but despite that, they (Opp) are repeatedly disrupting House proceedings. We're hopeful that as soon as Finance min comes the discussion on price rise will take place.Some MPs have been suspended for this week for disrupting the House: Union Min P Goyal pic.twitter.com/tcIpZ1ULFk

— ANI (@ANI) July 26, 2022

India has tackled inflation and price rise better than many countries, and the government is keen to inform Parliament about the important steps it has taken to handle price rise, Goyal told reporters.

He also hit out at Opposition parties for protesting against the imposition of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on several pre-labelled food items. The opposition members, including from the Congress, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Left, were part of the GST council that took the decision unanimously on introducing the fresh levy, he said.

Nineteen opposition MPs were earlier suspended from Rajya Sabha for the rest of the week for disrupting the session today. The latest round of suspension comes a day after four Congress MPs in Lok Sabha were dealt with similar action for the entire monsoon session, ending August 12, for holding placards inside the house despite warnings by Speaker Om Birla to behave.

19 opposition Rajya Sabha MPs suspended for the remaining part of the week for storming well of the House and raising slogans https://t.co/cyLSmWIvd3 pic.twitter.com/wGvlQQLNF5

— ANI (@ANI) July 26, 2022

The action against the 19 Rajya Sabha MPs is likely to escalate the Opposition's fury against the government over what they claim was an attempt to shut voices that question the ruling alliance's economic and social policies.

Here's the full list of suspended Rajya Sabha MPs: -

Sushmita Dev, Trinamool Congress
Mausam Noor, Trinamool Congress
Shanta Chhetri, Trinamool Congress 
Dola Sen, Trinamool Congress 
Santanu Sen, Trinamool Congress
Abhi Ranjan Biswar, Trinamool Congress 
Md. Nadimul Haque, Trinamool Congress
M Hamamed Abdulla, DMK
B Lingaiah Yadav, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS)
A.A. Rahim, CPI(M)
Ravihandra Vaddiraju, TRS
S Kalyanasundaram, DMK
R Girranjan, DMK
NR Elango, DMK
V Sivadasan, CPI(M)
M Shanmugam, DMK
Damodar Rao Divakonda, TRS
Sandosh Kumar P, CPI
Kanimozhi NVN Somu, DMK

Opposition MPs in Rajya Sabha have been demanding an urgent discussion on issues like price rise and goods and services tax, or GST, hike for the past many days, leading to disruptions in the house.