Congress Rajya Sabha MP Anand Sharma on Tuesday said that the disruptions in the Parliament occur only when the government suppresses the Opposition's voice.
Speaking to ANI, the Congress MP said, "I think it was an unfortunate situation created by the arrogance and stubbornness of the government which refused to have any meaningful discussion on important national issues. This is the highest forum of discussion and debate. If the government suppresses the voice of the Opposition, then only the disruptions take place."
The Congress MP further said that suspended leaders are aggrieved as a proper procedure was not followed.
"Many of the members who have been suspended are aggrieved because they were not even named. There are certain provisions under Rules of the House, invoking this 256 wasn't in order. It was violated, I don't buy this contention also that it is of continuity," he said.
"Under Article 83 of Constitution, it's the President who convenes the session through Gazette notification. Summons are issued to members. After Monsoon Session was adjourned, Houses were prorogued. So, the present Session is a fresh session re-convened by President," Sharma added.
Asked about the suspended MPs staging protests outside the Parliament, he said that it is their right to protest as they have been denied the privilege to attend the Parliament.
"It is their right. They have been denied the privilege to attend the house. It is unfair to them also. Most of the PMs have not indulged in any such acts," he told ANI.
The suspended opposition MPs are likely to write to Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu and argue against their suspension.
Rajya Sabha on the first day of the winter session on Monday suspended 12 of its members for the rest of the current session, ending on December 23, on account of 'unruly and violent behaviour' during the monsoon session of the Parliament.
The suspended leaders will also stage a sit-in protest before the Gandhi statue in the Parliament building tomorrow.
Opposition MPs staged walkouts from both the Houses after Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu rejected revocation of the suspension.
The suspended MPs include six from Congress, two each from TMC and Shiv Sena and one each from CPM and CPI.
The MPs are Elamaram Kareem (CPM), Phulo Devi Netam, Chhaya Verma, R Bora, Rajamani Patel, Syed Nasir Hussain and Akhilesh Prasad Singh of the Congress, Binoy Viswam of CPI, Dola Sen and Shanta Chhetri of Trinamool Congress, Priyanka Chaturvedi and Anil Desai of Shiv Sena.
( With inputs from ANI )
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