Parliament Security Breach: More Opposition MPs Suspended; Mallikarjun Kharge Says 'Modi Govt Bulldozing Democracy, Crushing Dissent'

The fresh round of suspension comes after 13 Opposition MPs faced the action last week for demanding a statement by the Home Minister. Apart from this, three more MPs were suspended pending a report from the Privileges Committee.

New Delhi: More Opposition MPs faced suspension from Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on Monday for the remainder of the Winter Session for protesting in the chamber and demanding the resignation of Union Home Minister Amit Shah following last week's massive security breach in Parliament.

Growing Wave of Suspensions

This recent wave of suspensions follows the disciplinary action taken against 13 Opposition MPs last week. Additionally, three more MPs await suspension pending a report from the Privileges Committee. In total, 46 MPs have faced suspension, with 43 of them seeking the Home Minister's statement on the security breach.

Prominent Figures Suspended

The list of suspended MPs includes notable figures such as Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Congress's leader in Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, deputy leader of the Congress in the House, and Trinamool MPs Kalyan Banerjee, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Saugata Ray, and Satabdi Roy. DMK members A Raja and Dayanidhi Maran are also among those facing suspension.

Opposition's Strong Response

In response to the suspensions, Congress president and LoP in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge criticized the Modi government, accusing it of bulldozing democracy. Kharge emphasized that an Opposition-less Parliament allows the government to push through legislation without proper debate, thus suppressing dissent.

First, intruders attacked Parliament.
Then Modi Govt attacking Parliament & Democracy

All Democratic norms are being thrown into the dustbin by an autocratic Modi Govt by suspending 47 MPs.

We have two simple and genuine demands -

1. The Union Home Minister should make a… — Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) December 18, 2023

Congress Slams Government's Alleged Dictatorial Approach

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury voiced concerns about the government's behaviour, labelling it as dictatorial and accusing it of treating Parliament as the BJP's headquarters. He highlighted the Opposition's willingness to cooperate and engage in discussions, expressing disappointment in the government's approach.

BJP Government's Actions Denounced

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi echoed similar sentiments, asserting that the BJP government is suppressing the Opposition and claiming that the Home Minister is avoiding accountability for the security breach. He declared that the protest would persist outside Lok Sabha. "The entire country can see the bulldozers that are being run in the Parliament. This is nothing but a way to suppress the opposition leaders. They are running a bulldozer over the opposition to hide the failures of Union Home Minister Amit Shah...They have not come to power with a motive to run the Parliament," Gogoi said.

#WATCH | On suspension of over 30 MPs from Lok Sabha, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi says, "The entire country can see the bulldozers that are being run in the Parliament. This is nothing but a way to suppress the opposition leaders. They are running a bulldozer over the opposition to… pic.twitter.com/dCwS9wZ7ht — ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2023

Prime Minister's First Response

In his first remarks on the Lok Sabha security breach, Prime Minister Narendra Modi acknowledged the ''seriousness'' of the incident in an interview with a leading newspaper. He also called for a detailed investigation and dismissed the need for debate on the matter.

Opposition's Demand For Home Minister's Statement

The Opposition's demand for a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah remains unmet. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh criticized the government's refusal, emphasizing the legitimate demand for the Home Minister to address the shocking incidents in both Houses.

Lok Sabha Speaker Upset With Protests

A visibly upset Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla maintained that the responsibility for security within the House lies with the secretariat and asserted that the Centre will not be allowed to intervene in these matters.

Recap of Lok Sabha Security Breach

Shocking scenes unfolded in the Lok Sabha chamber when intruders jumped from desk to desk, deploying coloured smoke. The co-accused staged a similar protest outside Parliament, citing their objective as drawing attention to Manipur violence, unemployment, and farmers' problems. Six individuals have been arrested in connection with the case, with Delhi Police invoking the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against the trespassers.