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Thursday, Mar 11, 2010
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Face-off over suspension of MPs

Gargi Parsai

NEW DELHI: There was no let up in the face-off between the government and the Samajwadi Party and the Rashtriya Janata Dal on the issue of the suspension of seven members of Rajya Sabha. The MPs were evicted from the House on Tuesday before discussion began on the Women's Reservation Bill.

The proceedings in both Houses were disrupted on Wednesday, with the RJD and the SP demanding revocation of the suspension.

Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Pawan Kumar Bansal indicated the government could bring a motion to revoke the suspension if the MPs expressed regret for their behaviour to Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari.

“It [the suspension] was a well-considered action. Yesterday [on Tuesday] also, they repeated it. It was an insult to the dignity of the House and the Chair. The minimum they can do is to go over to the Chairman and express regret. Then they'll be with us.”

Mr. Bansal said the action against the members was not done “happily.” “It was a bitter medicine that had to be administered.”

On the other hand, both SP president Mulayam Singh and RJD chief Lalu Prasad said it was their right to express dissent. “Why maafinama [regret]? They called the CRPF [Central Reserve Police Force] to take action against our people. They want to throw us out and run the House. They did not take us into confidence on the women's Bill,” Mr. Prasad told journalists.

Earlier, as soon as the Rajya Sabha assembled in the morning, SP leader Brijbhushan Tiwari urged Mr. Ansari to revoke the suspension or his party would boycott the proceedings. Leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley and Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Sitaram Yechury also pressed for revocation of the suspension.

However, several members from the treasury benches said the MPs must apologise for their behaviour. At this, Ramgopal Yadav of the SP said he did not agree and led his party members out.

RJD leader Prem Gupta said there should not be insistence for expression of regret by suspended members, as whatever happened was under particular circumstances. He too staged a walk-out with party members.

BJP's Ramdas Agarwal demanded the government bring in a motion to revoke the suspension on Wednesday itself.

The MPs suspended for unparliamentary behaviour were Kamal Akhtar (SP), Veerpal Singh Yadav (SP), Amir Alam Khan (SP) and Nand Kishore Yadav (SP), Ejaz Ali (unattached), Sabir Ali (Lok Janshakti Party) and Subhash Prasad Yadav (RJD). Of them, Dr. Ejaz Ali, Mr. Akhtar, Mr. Nand Kishore Yadav and Mr. Khan will retire this year.

Corrections and Clarifications

The third paragraph of a report "Face-off over suspension of MPs" (March 11, 2010) said that Pawan Kumar Bansal is the Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs. Mr. Bansal is Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Minister of Water Resources. Mr. V. Narayanasamy is the Minister of State in the Ministry of Planning and the Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.

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