Pralhad Joshi seeks termination of LS membership of Congress member for 'snatching papers' from Speaker's table

With seven Congress members suspended from Lok Sabha for the remaining period of the budget session for "gross misconduct," the government has decided to seek further action against the concerned Congress member for "snatching papers" from the Speaker's table including termination of membership for the remaining part of his term.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said on Thursday that he will seek an inquiry and "further action including termination of membership" against the concerned member who snatched the papers from Speaker's table when the House had taken up the Mineral Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2020 for passage.

"Snatching of papers has never happened," he said.

Seven Congress MPs were on Thursday named by the Chair in Lok Sabha on Thursday and suspended for the remaining part of the budget session for "gross misconduct" in the House.

Joshi moved a resolution to suspend the members from the remaining period of the budget session, which was adopted by the House.

"That this House having taken serious note of gross misconduct of Gaurav Gogoi, TN Prathapan, Dean Kuriakose, Benny Behanan, Manickam Tagore, Rajmohan Unnithan, Gurjeet Singh Aujla in utter disregard to the House and authority of the Chair and having been named by Speaker, resolve that be suspended from the service of the House for the remainder of the session," Joshi said.

BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi, who was in the Chair, had earlier named the seven members when the House reassembled at 3 pm.

Sources said Congress member Gaurav Gogoi had apparently snatched the "formula" paper from the marshal when the House had taken up the Mineral Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2020 for passage.

The sources said that snatching papers related to Speaker's table was the "highest form of indiscipline and cannot be tolerated".

The sources also said that that the government was unlikely to agree to the termination of suspension of the seven Congress members even if there was an apology from them.

They said that the government had communicated to Congress that getting two bills passed to replace ordinances was a priority but their leader had not adhered to the informal understanding reached.

BJP member Rama Devi was in the chair when the House met at 2 pm. Amid protests by the opposition, the House has taken up the Mineral Laws Amendment Bill for consideration and passage. The bill could not passed amid the pandemonium.