AAP MP Sanjay Singh suspended from Rajya Sabha for Monsoon Session

AAP floor leader Sanjay Singh was on Monday suspended from the Rajya Sabha for the remainder of the Monsoon Session for "repeatedly violating" the directions on of the Chair while protesting against the violence in Manipur, indicating Modi government's willingness to risk an escalation with the Opposition I.N.D.I.A in the Parliament.

. He later began an indefinite sit-in near the Gandhi statue in the Parliament complex, with other I.N.D.I.A MPs joining him in solidarity and pledging to take turns and stay with him overnigh, as the Opposition decided to step up pressure on the NDA government on the Manipur issue.

. Singh, who faced suspension thrice earlier, had rushed to the Well of the House seeking a discussion on Manipur when he was first cautioned by Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar for "unruly behaviour". Leader of House Piyush Goyal then demanded his suspension and moved a motion seeking his suspension for the entire session, which was adopted by a voice vote.

. The entire Opposition were on their feet protesting against the violence in Manipur and demanding Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement ahead of a discussion in Parliament when Singh got suspended.

. Also Read | Kapil Sibal slams PM Modi's silence on Manipur issue

. Opposition sources claimed Singh's suspension came as the government wanted to ensure that the AAP floor leader would not be present in the House to oppose the bill to replace an ordinance that took away Delhi government's control over its bureaucrats.

. Singh, who had earlier refused to leave the House leading to repeated adjournments, told reporters later, “If this House is not for speaking on Manipur violence-like incidents and if they cannot give reply... I would only say that the Prime Minister is a shameless, cowardly, and cruel ruler with whom we are ready to fight.”

. He also defended his actions, saying he repeatedly requested Dhankhar for a discussion on the Manipur violence and demanded that the Prime Minister respond in the House. "When the Chair didn’t listen to me, I went closer to the Chair to request him to allow me to speak under Rule 267 for which I had given a notice,” he said.

. I.N.D.I.A floor leaders met Dhankhar in his chambers and urged him to revoke the suspension or at least reduce it to a one-day suspension, but the meeting did not end positively.

. Dhankhar then called a meeting of all Rajya Sabha floor leaders in Parliament but it ended in a walk out by the I.N.D.I.A leaders, as the Chairman insisted that Santanu Sen (Trinamool Congress) and Raghav Chadha (AAP) were not leaders of their parties and CPI's Binoy Viswam was not recognised as a floor leader, as his party has less than five MPs.

. This enraged the I.N.D.I.A leaders, who walked out of the meeting while BRS' K Keshava Rao joined them. Sources said Dhankhar had earlier told some Opposition leaders that he cannot be a spectator to murder of democracy in Parliament.

. Sources said Trinamool's Derek O'Brien had deputed Sen while Chadha told Dhankhar that he was representing his suspended leader, but Dhankhar said it was a meeting of floor leaders. Viswam is not a recognised floor leader as his party has only two MPs in the House.

. Earlier in the House, Goyal said, "this kind of behaviour ....and disturbing the House is completely against the ethics and rules of the House. The government wants to move a motion to suspend Sanjay Singh."

. When Dhankhar asked whether the government was moving a motion, Goyal answered in the affirmative and moved the motion, "I move the motion that Sanjay Singh, who has been named by the chair, be hereby suspended from the rest of the duration of the session until the last day of this current session."

. Dhankhar then said, "The motion is that Sanjay Singh is suspended for the entire duration of this session having repeatedly violated the directives of the chair", which was approved by a voice vote.

AAP MP Sanjay Singh suspended from Rajya Sabha for Monsoon Session

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