2 More Lok Sabha MPs Suspended For Misconduct After Action Against 141 Oppn Leaders

Lok Sabha has suspended two more opposition MPs, Thomas Chazhikadan and AM Ariff for the remainder of the Winter Session for misconduct in the House, reported news agency PTI. This comes a day after a total of 141 MPs were suspended for disrupting proceedings in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

On Monday, 78 MPs – 33 from Lok Sabha and 45 from Rajya Sabha – were suspended for unruly behaviour and disregarding the directions of the Chair. A total of 141 opposition MPs have been suspended from both houses this session so far, including the 14 Opposition MPs (13 from Lok Sabha, one from Rajya Sabha) suspended last week on Thursday.

Thomas Chazhikadan is an MLA from Kerala Congress (M) and AM Ariff is a CPI (M) MP from Kerala’s Alappuzha. The opposition has termed the present scenario un-democratic, stating that the ruling dispensation is action like a “dictator”. Leaders of opposition parties even held a protest at the Gandhi statue inside the premises against the record mass suspension.

It all began after the opposition halted House proceedings seeking a statement by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the recent Parliament security breach that coincided with the 22nd anniversary of the terror attack on Parliament.

In a post on X, Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge said, “The suspension of a total of 141 Opposition MPs from Parliament reinforces our charge that an autocratic BJP wants to demolish Democracy in this country. We all know that key Bills like the Criminal Law Amendments, which unleash draconian powers and impede citizen’s Rights, are listed. Modi Govt does not want the people of India to hear out the Opposition, while these Bills are debated and deliberated.”

“Therefore, they have adopted this “Suspend, Throw Out and Bulldoze” tactic to destroy Democracy ! Our simple demands about the Union Home Minister making a statement in Parliament on the grave security breach and a detailed discussion on the same, remain unaltered,” he added.

Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday said democracy was being strangulated by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government, PTI reported. Chairing the Congress Parliamentary Party meeting, Gandhi also attacked PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for distorting history and twisting historical facts to defame patriots like Jawaharlal Nehru. 

“Never before have so many Opposition Members of Parliament been suspended from the house, and that too, simply for raising a perfectly reasonable and legitimate demand,” the former Congress chief said.

 Meanwhile, BJP MP Hema Malini said they (opposition) keep raising questions and display strange behaviour. “So, they have been suspended. If they have been suspended, it means they have done something wrong. Work should be done in accordance with Parliament rules. They don’t do it and they have been suspended. There is nothing wrong in it, this is correct,” she told ANI.

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