In a remarkable turn of events, 141 Members of Parliament (MPs) find themselves ensnared in a web of strict restrictions following their suspension—95 from the Lok Sabha and 46 from the Rajya Sabha. A recent circular from the Lok Sabha Secretariat has cast these MPs into uncharted waters, prohibiting their ingress into the sacred chambers, lobbies, and galleries of the Parliament. This development has transpired amidst escalating chaos spurred by the opposition’s fervent demand for Union Minister Amit Shah’s statement on the recent Parliament security breach.
The circular, a legal document outlining the consequences of the MPs’ suspension, reads like a legislative lexicon, explicitly detailing the ramifications of their newfound status. Among the laundry list of prohibitions, the suspended MPs are barred from participating in the proceedings of Parliamentary Committees, tabling notices, and even exercising their voting rights during committee elections throughout the suspension period. A more severe consequence awaits those suspended for the entirety of the session, as they forfeit their entitlement to the daily allowance, as per the stringent provisions of the Salary, Allowances, and Pensions of Members of Parliament Act, 1954 as reported by NDTV.
Protest To Be Held Against Suspension
The suspension spree, totalling a staggering 141 MPs, has catalyzed a nationwide protest spearheaded by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. Standing resolute against what he deems an undemocratic move, Kharge has rallied 28 political parties in a concerted effort to combat the suspension. The opposition’s steadfast demand for an official statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the Parliament security breach on December 13 remains at the epicentre of the storm.
The list of the suspended reads like a who’s who of parliamentary stalwarts, featuring prominent figures such as Shashi Tharoor, Manish Tiwari, Karti Chidambaram, Supriya Sule, and Farooq Abdullah. A comprehensive list of all 49 MPs recently suspended further highlights the broad spectrum of political representation affected by this extraordinary measure.
Adding an intriguing layer to the ongoing controversy is the purported mimicry by Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee, who mimicked Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar during a protest. This incident has not only heightened tensions but has also spurred a war of words between TMC leader Mahua Moitra and Dhankhar, who deemed the act “unacceptable.”
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has seized upon this incident, accusing the opposition of maintaining a tradition of insulting individuals hailing from humble backgrounds occupying constitutional positions. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi has called for an apology from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his alleged role in the incident.
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