8 MPs suspended for the entire monsoon session over the farmers Bill debate

On Sep 21, 2020

New Delhi: In response to inappropriate behaviour on the farmer bills in the upper house of Parliament on Sunday, the eight MPs have been suspended from the Rajya Sabha for the entire monsoon session. TMC MP Derek O’Brien tore the rule book in front of the Deputy Chairman. Where as other oppositions MPs climbed on bench and started throwing rule book.

Amendments of several members for referring the matter to Select Committee were not taken up for disposal before passing of the farm Bill by so-called “voice vote.” The role of Chair in this context was ex facie ‘partisan’, unprecedented & unlawful: TMC MP Sukhendu Sekhar Ray https://t.co/Q2IxJ5qiEJ pic.twitter.com/x2e8A5i7n9
— ANI (@ANI) September 21, 2020

TMC's Derek O'Brien & Dola Sen, AAP's Sanjay Singh, INC's Rajeev Satav, Ripun Bora & Syed Nasir Hussain, CPI(M)'s KK Ragesh & Elamaram Karim suspended for one week for unruly behaviour with the Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman yesterday
(file pics) pic.twitter.com/0QmresStns
— ANI (@ANI) September 21, 2020

The chairman of Rajya Sabha M Venkaiah Naidu slammed the opposition leaders for the misconduct during parliamentary proceedings. He said, ‘it pained to see what happened in the House yesterday. Climbing on to the bench, dancing in the House, throwing rule book at deputy speaker are conducts unbecoming of members’.

The Speaker said, I order Derek O’Brien to move out of the House. Along with him the other leaders suspended are Sanjay Singh, Rajeev Satav, KK Ragesh, Syed Naseer Hussain, Ripun Bora, Dola Sen and Elamaram Kareem for remaining part of the monsoon session.

BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP V Muralitharan said, suspended members have no right to stay in the House. The House cannot function by the presence of non-members.

TMC MP Sukhendu Shekhar Ray said on the suspension of MPs- amendment of the farmers Bill was not considered by many members and was passed through so-called voice vote. The role of the Speaker in this case was erstwhile ‘partisan’, unprecedented and illegal. If the constitutional authority does not act as per the rules of the Rajya Sabha President, the country may not move towards fascism, but it is sure to be a victim of majoritarianism.

On Sunday, the Rajya Sabha issued the two agriculture sector reform bills amidst aggressive protest by the opposition parties. The two bills — Farmer’s Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020.