Suspended MPs could not be forgiven unless they apologise: Goyal

The BJP stoutly defended the suspension of 12 opposition members from the Rajya Sabha for their "unruly" conduct in the last Parliament session, saying this is the least that could have been done.

Amid vehement protest by opposition members, the BJP on Tuesday stoutly defended the suspension of 12 opposition members from the Rajya Sabha for their "unruly" conduct in the last Parliament session, saying this is the least that could have been done.

Union minister Piyush Goyal, the leader of the House in Rajya Sabha, also hit out at Rahul Gandhi, who rejected the demand that these members should apologise, asking if the Congress leader endorses their actions like "attacking" women marshals in the House.

Does not he think they should apologise or does he endorse their action, Goyal asked while speaking to reporters in Parliament House.

In a tweet, Gandhi had said these members will not apologise for "raising the voice of people" in Parliament.

Goyal cited various instances of the misconduct of these 12 members - from tearing papers to throwing books towards the Chair to allegedly attacking women marshals, saying their action could not be forgiven unless they tender an apology.

They not only insulted the House but the Chairman as well, he said.

The BJP leader said Mallikarjun Kharge, the leader of the Congress in the Rajya Sabha, had levelled baseless allegations against Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu in his remarks in the House against the suspension.

As many as 12 opposition MPs were suspended from the Rajya Sabha on Monday for the entire Winter session of Parliament for their "unruly" conduct in the previous session in August, even as the Opposition termed the suspension as "undemocratic and in violation of all the Rules of Procedure" of the Upper House.

The suspended MPs are six from the Congress, two each from Trinamool Congress and Shiv Sena, and one each from the CPI and CPM.