Congress MP Rajani Patil suspended from Rajya Sabha for filming Opposition protest during Modi's speech

The Congress MP will remain suspended for the remainder of the Budget Session

Senior Congress MP Rajani Patil was on Friday suspended from Rajya Sabha for the remaining part of the Budget Session for filming the Opposition protest inside the House while Prime Minister Narendra Modi was replying to the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address.

Announcing the decision, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said the Privileges Committee will probe the “entire matter” and Patil will be in suspension for the entire session till the House has benefit of the panel’s findings.

While the BJP-led Treasury benches insisted on action against the MP from Maharashtra, Opposition MPs appealed to the Chairman not to take “hasty” decisions and should not come under pressure from the government. The Opposition MPs also said that the Sansad TV was “biassed” against them and were not reflecting what was happening in the House.

Dhankhar, who referred to a communication from BJP MP GVL Naramsimha Rao on the issue, said there has been “strong prima facie” material that suggested that Patil filmed the proceedings in violation of rules and taking note of the sentiments of the House, he was placing her under suspension with “deep anguish and pain”.

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Before announcing his decision, Dhankhar gave floor to Patil on the suggestion of Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge. An emotional Patil said she was pained at the way discussions were happening on the episode, which is a result of committing a wrong unknowingly.

She said she comes from a freedom fighter’s family and if the Chairman felt that she was in the wrong, he could suspend her for the entire term. “I am even willing to resign,” she said.

While Rao said Patil’s actions were a clear violation of rules and directions by the Chair, senior Congress MP Mukul Wasnik came to the support of Patil and said that the reporting of the proceedings during the Prime Minister’s speech on Sansad TV-Rajya Sabha was “one sided” and it did n”not correctly reflected” the developments.

“Was Sansad TV instructed that only Treasury benches be shown?” he asked. Some other Opposition MPs also echoed this view point, as they said the conduct of Sansad TV should also be probed.

Kharge and Samajwadi Party leader Ramgopal Yadav suggested that the House should not go in with strict action in the matter. However, Leader of the House Piyush Goyal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi demanded strict action.