Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury attacks Centre over his suspension from Lok Sabha; says deliberate design to throttle voice of Opposition

This is a new phenomenon we have never before experienced in our career in Parliament, said Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury while hitting out at the Narendra Modi-led government after his suspension from Lok Sabha.

New Delhi:Congress leaderAdhir Ranjan Chowdhury,who was suspended from the Lok Sabha, on Saturday hit out at the Narendra Modi-led government saying it was a "deliberate design by the ruling party to throttle the voice of the Opposition".

Addressing reporters at the national capital, Chowdhury, who represents the Berhampur constituency in West Bengal, further said that the act by the NDA government at the Centre will undermine the spirit of the Parliamentary democracy.

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury also took a swipe at the Centre for "flouting all the traditional methods".

"Until the discussion on the No-confidence Motion is over, no other topic should be discussed. This is the tradition of our house. But the Narendra Modi government has passed one Bill after another, flouting all the traditional methods. During this, the Opposition could not get a chance to present its views on any bill," added Adhir, who is also the President of the West Bengal Pradesh Congress (WBPC) Committee.

Adhir was suspended from the Lok Sabha on Thursday for attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the debate on the No-Confidence Motion in the Council of Ministers, which was eventually defeated. A motion for his suspension from the Lower House of the Parliament was moved by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi.

"In the year 1978, a No-Confidence Motion was brought in the House and the discussion on the Motion also started on the same day. The result was that the House ran smoothly. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi talks from moon to cheetah. So the Opposition felt that he would speak on Manipur also, but it did not happen," added Adhir.

The Congress leader maintained that the No-Confidence Motion, moved by his party colleague and Member of Parliament Gaurav Gogoi, forced the Prime Minister to speak on the violence in Manipur, where at least 152 people have been killed.

"The Opposition kept pleading in the House that the situation in Manipur is becoming serious and Prime Minister Narendra Modi should come to the House and present his point. Prime Minister Narendra Modi kept on avoiding us and then we brought No-Confidence Motion as the last option. Because of which the PM came and spoke in the house," said Adhir.

According to Adhir, over three months have passed but the situation is not improving in the strife-torn state, where violence first erupted on May 3.