BJP MP gives privilege notice over Youth Congress protest

BJP parliamentarian Kirit Somaiya on Thursday gave a privilege notice over a protest by Indian Youth Congress (IYC) activists at the residence of Speaker Sumitra Mahajan here.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu dubbed Wednesday's protest "an assault on democracy" while Bharatiya Janata Party parliamentarian Arjun Ram Meghwal said it was "murder of democracy".

Raising the issue in the Lok Sabha, Somaiya said a demonstration was held against the Lok Sabha Speaker at her residence and added that there was even a threat to burn her effigy.

He urged the Speaker to accept his notice of privilege. Several BJP members associated themselves with Somaiya's notice.

Expressing concern, Naidu asked why the IYC members went to the Speaker's residence.

"It is nothing but threatening. It is a very serious issue. It is an assault on parliamentary democracy. It has to be taken seriously," the union minister said.

"You can disagree, but attributing motives, going to the house, (talking about) burning effigy," Naidu said urging the Speaker to accept the privilege notice.

IYC members had on Wednesday staged a protest outside the Speaker's official residence here over the suspension of 25 Congress MPs by her on August 3.

The Congress parliamentarians were suspended for five days for "wilfully obstructing the business of the house" and not listening to her repeated requests to observe the rules in the house.

IYC president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring dubbed the suspensions an "insult to democracy".

The Congress has been boycotting the proceedings of the Lok Sabha over the suspension of its 25 MPs. Members of several other opposition parties have also joined the Congress in its protest.