The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed a motion to revoke the suspension of seven Congress MPs as Speaker Om Birla returned to the House for the first time since the ugly incidents of March 2 when a scuffle between ruling and Opposition members was witnessed.
The seven Congress members — Gaurav Gogoi, TN Prathapan, Dean Kuriakose, R Unnithan, Manickam Tagore, Benny Behanan and Gurjeet Singh Aujla — were suspended on March 5 for the remaining period of the Budget Session for utter disregard for House rules and gross misconduct after they snatched papers from the Speaker’s table.
The motion to revoke their suspension was moved by Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal and passed by a voice vote on Wednesday.
The Speaker then announced that the suspension stands revoked with immediate effect.
After the unruly scenes on March 2 when the House met after a recess, a “pained” Speaker had stopped coming to the House and the proceedings were presided by a panel of chairpersons in Birla’s absence.
After a meeting with leaders of all parties on Wednesday, Birla came to the House at 1.30 pm and chaired the proceedings of the House.
Members from across the political spectrum welcomed the Speaker and expressed happiness that he was again presiding over the House. The members from various parties also sought revocation of suspension of the seven Congress MPs.
Birla said he was personally pained and hurt over the happenings in the House in recent days and actions of some members who tore papers in the Well, snatched papers from marshals and displayed placards.
“In this House we can agree, disagree on issues, or use sarcasm, but decorum should be maintained,” Birla said. Birla also assured the Opposition that he would allow time for discussion on issues demanded by members.
“It is necessary to keep the dignity of the Chair intact to retain the faith of people in India’s democracy,” Birla added.
Seeking revocation of the suspension of the seven members, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said his party never wanted to dishonour the Chair or disturb the functioning of the House.
Asserting that it is the responsibility of both the Opposition and the Treasury Benches to maintain the dignity of the House, Chowdhury said, “You don’t give life sentence to someone for just killing a pigeon.”
DMK’s TR Baalu and TMC’s Saugata Roy said the House should function in harmony and members will refrain from any action which impinges on the dignity of the House.
“Their (seven suspended members’) actions were not desirable.... I am not defending them. 1.5 million people who elected these members would be deprived if the House functions without them,” Roy said.
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey said this is the first time in the history of Lok Sabha that the Speaker did not attend the House for four days because he was hurt by actions of members, especially from the Congress.
On March 2, the BJP and the Congress members had pushed and shoved each other in the Lok Sabha, as Opposition parties vehemently protested over the issue of violence in Delhi and demanded resignation of Home Minister Amit Shah. The Opposition members shouted slogans, displayed placards and some even tore papers and hurled them in the air.