Four Congress MPs suspended from Lok Sabha for rest of session for disrupting proceedings

Congress' deputy leader in Lok Sabha alleged that the government was trying to 'intimidate' the party as it was raising people's issues like price rise

Four Congress Lok Sabha MPs, including Manickam Tagore, Ramya Haridas, Jothimani and TN Prathapa, were on Monday suspended for the entire session by speaker Om Birla, for carrying placards inside the House as a mark of protest.

The lawmakers were protesting against price rise and held placards that decried the hike of essential commodities and soaring gas prices. Birla was visibly angry and adjourned the House for a brief period. He had earlier warned MPs from the Congress, TMC and DMK against holding placards on the floor of the House and suggested they do it outside the House.

The suspension intensifies the faceoff between the government and opposition parties, and the Congress has scheduled a meeting of its Lok Sabha MPs early morning on Tuesday.

Parliamentary affairs minister Prahlad Joshi read the motion of the suspension, and said they were debarred as per Rule 374 (2). “... having taken serious note of the misconduct of Manickam Tagore, TN Prathapan, S Jothimani and Ramya Haridas and utter disregard to the House and the authority of the Chair and having been named by the Speaker resolve that the above mentioned members be suspended from the service of the House for the reminder of the session,” Joshi said.

Rule 374(2) empowers the Speaker to name a member of the House if he feels they have disregarded proceedings who can then be suspended.

Congress MP and deputy leader of the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi said that the government refuses to hold discussions on price rise. “This is the government's tactic to intimidate us. They (the suspended MPs) were simply speaking out against price rise. We moved an adjournment motion demanding a discussion on these issues, but no discussion was held,” Gogoi said.