New Delhi: As Congress members continued to protest by holding placards inside the House over price rise despite Speaker Om Birla's 'stern' warning to behave, the Lok Sabha Speaker suspended four MPs of the key opposition party from the House for the entire monsoon session ending August 12. The suspended Congress MPs are Manickam Tagore, Jothimani, Ramya Haridas and TN Prathapan.
After the Speaker's action, the four went near Mahatma Gandhi's statue on the Parliament grounds and raised slogans there. Reacting to the suspension order, Congress said that the government is trying to intimidate its MPs by suspending some of them. "Our MPs were trying to raise issues which matter to people," said Gaurav Gogoi, who is the party's Deputy Leader in Lok Sabha.
"The MPs were holding placards raising the issues of rise in prices of gas cylinders, imposition of GST on items such as flour and buttermilk. We moved an adjournment motion demanding a discussion on these issues, but no discussion was held."
Earlier, upset over the disruptions in the House, Lok Sabha Speaker had warned opposition MPs that he was willing for a discussion after 3 pm, but won't tolerate any placard protest inside the house.
Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned for the second time on Monday till 4 pm after unrelenting protests by Opposition members seeking a discussion on price rise.
When the House reassembled at 3 pm, Sambit Patra, who was chairing the proceedings, invited NCP leader Fauzia Khan to initiate a debate on the Calling Attention Motion on "the situation arising out of rising cases of post-Covid complications."
But the Opposition members, including the Congress and TMC, continued their vociferous protest and later stormed into the Well shouting slogans.
"I request all of you to go back to your seats. Let us have a discussion. It is very important. The opposition had demanded it and the chairman had allowed it," the Chair said and asked the NCP leader to start the debate.
NCP leader Fauzia Khan said she won't be able to speak when the House is not in order. "Please put the House in order," she said.
She also added: "The Opposition has issued a notice requesting for a discussion on price rise, please take that."
As protesting opposition members continued to be in the Well, the Chair adjourned the House till 4 pm.