Suspending 7 MPs for entire Budget session not a 'minor thing': Adhir Ranjan Chaudhary

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chaudhary on Friday raised the matter of the suspension of his party's MPs in the Lok Sabha saying, "this is not a minor thing."

"Seven of our MPs were suspended for the entire Budget session, yesterday. We don't know on what basis was this done? This is not a minor thing. We only want a discussion on the issue of Delhi violence," he said.

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

BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi, who was in the Chair, when the House reassembled at 3 pm, said the Congress members have behaved in a manner that had never happened before and had snatched papers from the podium during the proceedings when the House met at 2 pm.

The Lok Sabha has been witnessing continuous protests since it met on Monday at the commencement of the second half of the budget session. The opposition members have been pressing for immediate discussion on Delhi violence. The government has said it is prepared for discussion on March 11 after Holi.

The rules of conduct of business in Lok Sabha state that the Speaker, may if deemed necessary, name a member "who disregards the authority of the Chair or abuses the rules of the House by persistently and wilfully obstructing the business".

The rules state that if a member is named, the Speaker shall on a motion put the question that the member is suspended from the service of the House for a period not exceeding the remainder of the session.

The rules also state that the House may, at any time, on a motion being made, resolve that such suspension be terminated.

A member suspended under this rule shall withdraw from the precincts of the House.