4 Congress MPs suspended as opposition again stalls Lok Sabha | India News

NEW DELHI: Four Congress MPs were suspended from the Lok Sabha for the rest of the monsoon session after opposition protests on various issues such as price rise and GST continued to rock the House on Monday, following a near-washout of proceedings last week.
Parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi moved a resolution to suspend the quartet — Manickam Tagore, TN Prathapan, Jothimani and Ramya Haridas — claiming these MPs had shown “utter disregard” for the authority of the Chair. Speaker Om Birla, too, took a stern view of the continuous disruptions — placards were shown and slogans shouted inside the House — and termed it as a “blot on democracy”.
The four MPs later walked over to the Gandhi statue on the Parliament premises with Congress alleging the government was trying to “intimidate” it for raising people’s issues and said it would not be cowed down. Joshi retorted: “The action taken against them is appropriate”.

The Speaker had said that the protesting members, including from Congress, TMC and DMK, could shout slogans and display placards outside the House after 3 pm.
He said the government is ready to discuss issues raised by them and stressed that people want the House to function. “This House is the temple of the country’s democracy and it is your responsibility to protect the decorum of the House,” Birla said.
TMC MPs who were part of the protesting opposition parties till 2 PM, did not join the protests after the House assembled at 3 PM. However, as the House proceedings resumed, waving of placards and sloganeering continued, drowning the voices of members participating in the Zero Hour. Many members trooped into the well of the House during the Question Hour.