Parliament Security Breach: INDIA Bloc Leaders To Continue Protest Against Suspension Of MPs Today

New Delhi: The members of the INDIA bloc parties in Parliament, including those who faced suspension, will stage a resolute protest in front of the iconic Gandhi statue within the Parliament premises on Tuesday. The protest is slated to commence at 10.30 AM, marking a stern response to the suspension of 78 MPs, 33 from Lok Sabha and 45 from Rajya Sabha.

Govt Vs Opposition Over LS Security Breach 

The genesis of the protest stems from the security breach incident that transpired on December 13, an event that opposition lawmakers are unwilling to let fade away. Their demand for a statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the incident has intensified, becoming a focal point of their demonstration.

Suspension Of MPs 

The suspension, which affected 34 Rajya Sabha MPs, including prominent figures like Jairam Ramesh, KC Venugopal, and Randeep Singh Surjewala, elicited strong reactions from the opposition. Eleven others faced referral to the Privileges Committee, tasked with presenting a report within three months. Until the report is submitted, their suspension remains in force.

The stated reason for the suspension revolves around "misconduct" and a failure to comply with the directives of the Chair, a move that opposition MPs assert is an assault on democratic norms.

Opposition Strikes Back, Accuses Centre Of 'Autocracy'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government faced scathing criticism as opposition MPs accused it of adopting an "autocratic" approach. In a scathing remark, Kharge lamented, "Democratic norms are being thrown into the dustbin by an autocratic Modi government by suspending 47 MPs." He expressed concerns about the potential ramifications, stating, "With an Opposition-Less Parliament, the Modi government can now bulldoze important pending legislations, crush any dissent, without any debate."

'Democracy Under Threat'

The sentiment of opposition leaders was echoed by Congress' suspended MP Surjewala, who decried the suspension as an "attack on democracy, the Constitution of India, and the Ganga-Jamuni culture of the country." In a fervent statement, he emphasized the unprecedented nature of the event, declaring, "What has not happened in the history of the country in seventy-five years has happened now; ninety-two MPs have been suspended from the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha... This is not an attack on our rights; we represent the people. This is an attack on the democracy of this country. The Constitution of this country has been attacked. The Ganga-Jamuni culture of this country has been attacked. The tradition of the Constitution has been attacked in this country. The parliamentary decorum of this country has been attacked."

As the protest unfolds, the political landscape remains charged, with the suspended MPs determined to make their voices heard, asserting that their cause goes beyond individual suspensions to safeguarding the democratic fabric of the nation.