A record number of 141 MPs were suspended from Parliament during the ongoing Winter Session 2023. The session — which commenced on December 4 — saw 14 suspensions last Thursday, 78 on Monday and 49 on Tuesday. The suspension of Parliament members is the largest in the country’s history. The current winter session will conclude on December 22.
Following the record suspensions, several opposition parties accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of trying to bulldoze key legislations in an “Opposition-less” Parliament.
“With an Opposition-less Parliament, the Modi Govt can now bulldoze important pending legislations, crush any dissent, without any debate,” the Congress tweeted earlier. Meanwhile, Congress MP Abhishek Singhvi said, “Congratulations Modi Sarkar on taking the nation in the line of North Korea and China.”
How many MPs have been suspended from Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha?
Rajya Sabha: In total, 46 MPs — 45 on Tuesday and one on December 14 — were suspended from the Rajya Sabha. AAP member Sanjay Singh was suspended as a Rajya Sabha member since July 24.
Of the 45 suspended on Monday, as many as 34 opposition Rajya Sabha MPs, including Congress’ Jairam Ramesh, KC Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala, were suspended for the remainder of the ‘Winter Session’. Meanwhile, the ‘misconduct’ of 11 others was referred to the Privileges Committee, which has been asked to give its report in three months. The members will remain suspended till a report is submitted by the panel.
Lok Sabha: As many as 95 members — 13 members on December 14, 33 on Monday and 49 on Tuesday — were suspended from the Lok Sabha in a single session.
Total Opposition MPs left in Parliament…
INDIA bloc lost almost half its strength in the Rajya Sabha and one-third in the Lok Sabha after 78 MPs were suspended on Monday, PTI reported. The tally rose in the Lok Sabha with 49 more suspensions on Tuesday.
Lok Sabha: There are a total of 522 MPs in the Lok Sabha. With the suspensions on Tuesday, only around 100 Opposition MPs are left in the Lower House. The INDIA bloc has a total strength of 133 MPs. Of these 133, 95 stand suspended. Only 38 INDIA bloc MPs are eligible to attend the Lok Sabha session now.
Of the 522 members, 290 belong to the BJP. Therefore, the BJP and its allies have more than 300 MPs in the Lok Sabha as of now.
Rajya Sabha: In total, there are 238 MPs in the Rajya Sabha. Less than 100 opposition MPs are left to question the ruling BJP in the Upper House. The INDIA bloc has 95 MPs, of which 45 were suspended on Monday and one last week. This left only 49 members of the INDIA bloc in the Upper House. The BJP alone has 93 of its members in the Rajya Sabha.
Why were 141 MPs suspended?
The decision to suspend these MPs came after INDIA bloc MPs demanded a statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the security breach in Parliament that happened on December 13. Some protested over the matter in the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha, showing placards and raising slogans.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi was quoted as saying that the opposition members had broken rules and disrespected the Chair. “It was decided not to bring placards inside the House. Due to desperation after losing recent elections, they are taking such steps. This is the reason we are bringing a proposal (to suspend MPs),” he said in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
“These people will not come back in the House next time if this behaviour continues,” Joshi warned. “They are insulting the chair and the people of India by bringing placards,” he said.
(With inputs from PTI)
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Published: 19 Dec 2023, 04:17 PM IST