Mallikarjun Kharge, the Rajya Sabha leader, defended party colleague Lok Sabha whip Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Friday, alleging that he just stated “Nirav Modi and Nirav means “shaant” (quiet in Hindi).”
“He only said Nirav Modi. Nirav means ’shaant’ (quiet), silent and for that he was suspended?” Kharge told Rajya Sabha Chairman Dhankhar.
“He has been suspended on a flimsy ground… I am pleading with the vice president and the Chairman of the House that you have to protect the democracy as he (Adhir) is in the public accounts committee, business advisory committee too and the CBC selection. He has been deprived of all these institutions and if he is suspended, it’s not good,” Kharge further added.
Chowdhury was suspended from the House while the privileges committee investigated his behavior. On Thursday evening, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi submitted the resolution for Chowdhury’s suspension after the Congress politician repeatedly disturbed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s response to the no-confidence motion debate.
The Lok Sabha was adjourned until 12 p.m. on Friday due to opposition demonstrations over Chowdhury’s suspension. As soon as the House convened, Congress deputy leader Gaurav Gogoi brought up Chowdhury’s suspension from the House for “repeated misconduct” on Thursday evening.
A few Congress members stood up and were heard addressing Speaker Om Birla that Chowdhury had always cooperated with him. The Speaker convened Question Hour, but it was adjourned within a minute of the House convening for the day. Parliament’s Monsoon session, which began on July 20, closes on Friday.
