Decision to suspend 19 MPs from Rajya Sabha taken with 'heavy heart': Piyush Goyal

The MPs were suspended after they repeatedly ignored the Chair's appeals to let the House function

The ruling BJP on Tuesday said the decision to suspend 19 opposition MPs from the Rajya Sabha was taken with a "heavy heart" as they repeatedly ignored the Chair's appeals to let the House function and infringed on other members' rights.

Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha Piyush Goyal asserted that it is not the government but the Opposition that is running away from a debate in Parliament. He reiterated that the government is ready for a discussion on price rise once Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman fully recovers from Covid-19 and returns to Parliament.

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India has tackled inflation and price rise better than many countries, and the government is keen to inform Parliament about the important steps it has taken to handle price rise, Goyal told reporters.

He also hit out at opposition parties for protesting against the imposition of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on several pre-labelled food items.

The opposition members, including from the Congress, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Left, were part of the GST council that took the decision unanimously on introducing the fresh levy, he said.