Farmers Movement Archive

Rajya Sabha suspends unruly TMC MP but he refuses to leave House

NEW DELHI: TMC MP Santanu Sen, who had snatched papers from IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and then tore and flung them in Rajya Sabha on Thursday, was suspended from the Upper House for the remaining period of the monsoon session on Friday. Parliamentary affairs minister V Muraleedharan moved a motion for Sen’s suspension, amidst continuing protests from the opposition on the Pegasus snooping controversy, which was promptly passed by a voice vote in Rajya Sabha and accepted by Chairperson M Venkaiah Naidu. Sen, however, did not budge from his seat despite directions to “withdraw from the House”, first by Naidu and then deputy chairperson Harivansh, leading to Rajya Sabha being repeatedly adjourned in the pre-lunch session. Thereafter, it was adjourned for the day. Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned following disruptions by Congress, DMK and TMC, with MPs “shaming” the government over the Pegasus row and farm laws. Shiv Sena did not join the disruptions. Lok Sabha saw brief moments of all-round unanimity when Birla extended best wishes to the Indian contingent to the Tokyo Olympics and all members thumped benches in support of the Indian squad. Soon after, MPs from Congress, TMC, DMK and Shiromani Akali Dal gathered in the Well, demanding an inquiry into the Pegasus surveillance reports and the farm bills respectively. Earlier, in RS, moving the motion, Muraleedharan said, “I move Santanu Sen, AITC, be suspended from the services of the House for the remaining part of the current session for his unruly behaviour, unbecoming of a member of RS...” TMC member Sukhendu Sekhar Ray strongly protested against the manner in which the motion was brought without listing it in the day’s business and not giving Sen an opportunity to respond. Derek O’Brien, in turn, raised the issue of Sen being allegedly threatened by a minister (Hardeep Puri), but the chairperson said it had happened after the House was adjourned. “What is happening in the House in the presence of the chair that is taken note by me. Subsequently, what has happened, it has not been brought to my notice,” said Naidu, who earlier had expressed his anguish at proceedings in RS “hitting a new low” with papers being torn and flung after being snatched from a minister. Officials also made it clear that the rules empower the chairperson to allow any business to be taken up in the House without it being listed for the day. Sen’s suspension from RS may become the rallying point for all the opposition parties, including the Left, to join hands against the government. The Pegasus scam and farm laws are going to be priority issues for all opposition parties which protested against the House order to suspend Sen. The parties have decided to assemble at the Gandhi statue in Parliament premises every day for half an hour before the House opens at 11 am, demanding reinstatement of Sen.

The Times of India

2021-07-24

India