New Delhi: To demand the revocation of the suspension of 12 Rajya Sabha MPs, opposition party leaders including Rahul Gandhi have staged a protest today at the Gandhi statue in the Parliament premises. A total of 12 MPs were entirely suspended from the ongoing winter sessions of the Parliament for 'creating ruckus' in the House during the monsoon session on August 11. The suspension was issued after Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Pralhad Joshi wrote a letter to Vice President Venkaiah Naidu regarding the 'shocking violence in the house on the last day of the Monsoon session'.
All the suspended MPs belong to the opposition parties including six from Congress, two each from TMC and Shiv Sena and one each from CPM and CPI.
Also read: Opposition likely to boycott session if suspension of 12 MPs not revoked
The suspension has been opposed and requested to be revoked multiple times by several other MPs of the House. Congress has even alleged that the suspension is just the part of an agenda by the centre to curb out opposition and secure easy majority for the passing of listed bills in the upper house.
Around 14 parties under the signature of Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, have issued a statement saying, "The leaders of the opposition parties condemn the unwarranted and undemocratic suspension of 12 members in violation of rules of procedure of Rajya Sabha."
The suspended members are Syed Naseer Hussain, Akhilesh Prasad Singh, Phulo Devi Netam, Chhaya Verma, Ripun Bora and Rajmani Patel of the Congress; Priyanka Chaturvedi and Anil Desai of the Shiv Sena; Elamaram Kareem of the CPI-M, Binoy Viswam of the CPI, Dola Sen and Shanta Chhetri of the Trinamool Congress.
Also read: RS Chairman refuses to revoke suspension of 12 MPs, Oppn MPs stage walk out
