“Democracy at Stake: Mallikarjun Kharge Decries Suspension of MPs as Detrimental”

Amidst widespread protests against the suspension of numerous opposition MPs during the Winter Session, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), asserting that this action is detrimental to democracy.

Opposition members gathered for protests in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue within Parliament premises on Tuesday, led by Kharge and Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar. The demonstrators displayed placards reading, “Democracy under siege, We wouldn’t be caged,” and “Why PM and HM are silent.”

Expressing his concerns, Kharge stated, “This is not good for democracy. It is an insult to Parliament. They are suspending the MPs to scare us.” He accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah of avoiding the House and delivering lectures in other locations.

Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav added, “The way MPs are being suspended, it seems they (the ruling party) look at the opposition as a non-entity.”

Suspended MPs also staged protests at Parliament’s Makar Dwar on Tuesday, with Congress leader Sonia Gandhi joining the demonstration. Congress MP Digvijaya Singh criticized the BJP, stating, “The organization (BJP) which Narendra Modi represents as the Prime Minister of the country is absolutely unaware of the concept of democracy. This was a pre-planned attack to abolish Parliamentary democracy.”

Meanwhile, both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned till 2 p.m. on Tuesday following disruptions related to the Parliament security breach incident and the suspension of numerous MPs. A total of 141 MPs, including 95 from Lok Sabha and 46 from Rajya Sabha, faced suspension, citing ‘misconduct’ and failure to adhere to the directions of the Chair for the remainder of the Winter Session.

The ongoing suspensions and disruptions have heightened tensions during the Winter Session, with concerns raised about the impact on the functioning of Parliament.