"Opposition-mukt Lok Sabha, failure of govt": Suspended members slam govt

NEW DELHI: Suspended members belonging to the INDIA bloc alliance hit out at the BJP-led Centre, terming their suspension as the "ultimate failure" of the government and "anarchy" inside the Parliament while claiming that the ruling government is aiming at an "Opposition-mukt" Lok Sabha.

Forty-nine opposition MPs, including Farooq Abdullah, Supriya Sule, Dimple Yadav and Shashi Tharoor, were on Tuesday suspended from Lok Sabha for the remainder of the winter session, a day after 33 MPs were suspended from the House for "misconduct".

Reacting to his suspension, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said while speaking to ANI, "...It is clear that they want an Opposition-mukt Lok Sabha and they will do something similar in Rajya Sabha. At this point, unfortunately, we have to start writing obituaries for Parliamentary democracy in India..."

"Today, in solidarity with my colleagues, I too joined the protest and everybody present has been suspended for the rest of the session which means they want to pass their Bills without any discussion. I think it is a betrayal of Parliamentary democracy..." Reacting to his suspension, Lok Sabha MP Farooq Abdullah said, "Who does the Police come under? What would have happened if he (Union Home Minister) had made a statement in Parliament on the incident (security breach)?"

"This is ultimately the failure of the government," said Samajwadi Party Lok Sabha MP Dimple Yadav on her suspension for the remainder of the winter session of Parliament. "Those speaking the truth and asking questions have been suspended from the House today. The public is seeing the kind of dirty politics happening in the Parliament," said Aam Admi Party Lok Sabha MP Sushil Kumar Rinku on his suspension from the House for the remainder of the session.

Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said, "It is nothing but anarchy inside the Parliament. They (BJP) do not have an iota of faith in the parliamentary system in our country."

Lashing out at the ruling BJP, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal told ANI that a new rule is being set for the new Parliament. "I have no words. What did they think before constructing this new Parliament building? They want to make this the graveyard of democracy...You have thrown out the entire Opposition. No action has been taken against the MP who issued passes (to the security breach accused)."

"A new rule is being set for the new Parliament - have sleeping pills and come here as you are not allowed to open your mouth and ask questions...", She added. With 49 Lok Sabha MPs suspended, the total number of opposition parliamentarians suspended from the two Houses has gone up to 141. The winter session will conclude on December 22.