Congress leader and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi led a protest of party MPs in the Parliament complex against the suspension of seven party MPs over their alleged misdemeanour in the Lok Sabha. The agitating Congress MPs wore black armbands and raised slogans against the ruling dispensation.
The seven MPs — Gaurav Gogoi, T N Prathapan, Dean Kuriakose, Manicka Tagore, Rajmohan Unnithan, Benny Behanan And Gurjeet Singh Aujla — were suspended from the remainder of the Budget Session for “gross misconduct” and “utter disregard” for House rules after they allegedly snatched and threw papers from the Speaker’s table in the House.
Making clear their intent to not back down on their demand for an immediate discussion on the recent communal violence in Delhi, the MPs said they will raise the issue continuously. The Congress has described the action against the party MPs as “revenge politics” and a “dictatorial decision”.
Congress’ leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Choudhary and chief whip in the House K Suresh met the Speaker and gave a letter to him seeking revocation of the suspension of the party MPs.
On the other hand, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said in the Lok Sabha: “The government does not want to keep any MP outside Parliament. But what happened yesterday never happened in the 70 years of independent India.”
Meanwhile, both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were adjourned till March 11 following ruckus in both the Houses over the Opposition’s demand for a discussion on the riots in Delhi.
Rahul Gandhi, along with other Congress also demanded Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s resignation over Delhi violence
“We are doing dharna here against the government. Congress MPs are protesting against Delhi violence. We are demanding resignation of Home Minister,” Gandhi told ANI. During the protest, Congress MPs raised slogans — “Give Justice, Give Justice to Delhi”.
Accusing both the Centre and the Delhi government for the violence in the national capital, Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi had demanded the resignation of Shah. She has even called the violence a “well-planned conspiracy”. Various opposition leaders including Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Nawab Malik had said that the Delhi violence was “pre-planned” and demanded the resignation of Union Home Minister.
“Supreme Court has said that several lives could have been saved. It indicated that the riots were pre-planned. Police were given some kind of order for not acting. Amit Shah must resign as he doesn’t have a moral right to stay in the office of the Ministry of Home Affairs,” Malik had told ANI. The Delhi violence has claimed 53 lives and left around 200 grievously injured.
