Monsoon session: Opposition’s overnight protest in Parliament continues

New Delhi [India]: The night-long protest of opposition party leaders, following Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh’s suspension from the entire Monsoon session of Parliament, continued on Tuesday.

Several opposition party leaders accompanied suspended MP Sanjay Singh during the overnight protest in front of Mahatma Gandhi’s statue at Parliament House. The Congress and Aam Aadmi Party MPs also raised ‘INDIA for Manipur’ placards during the protest.

On Tuesday morning, Singh said, “We have been sitting here since yesterday. Our only demand is that PM Modi speak on the Manipur issue. We will keep protesting here and I still request PM Modi to come to the Parliament and speak up on Manipur.”

Earlier on Monday, the Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar first named Singh for interrupting the proceedings of the House when it had taken up the Question Hour amid protests by the Opposition over its demand for a statement from Prime Minister on the Manipur violence and a detailed discussion on the issue.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader came near the Chairman’s podium over Opposition demands after the House resumed proceedings at 12 noon following its first adjournment earlier in the day. Dhankhar told him to resume his seat. As the AAP member kept protesting, the Chairman named him.

Soon after the Chairman named Sanjay Singh, Leader of the House Piyush Goyal moved a motion urging the Chair to suspend the AAP member, saying this kind of behaviour “is completely against the ethics and rules of the House.”

Sanjay Singh should be suspended from the entire session of the House, he said.

The Chairman put the motion for approval of the House saying Sanjay Singh was being suspended for the remainder of the monsoon session of Parliament “for having repeatedly violated the directives of the Chair”.

Meanwhile while speaking to media on Tuesday morning, Singh, refrained from commenting on the Chairman of the Upper House.

“Why is the Prime Minister silent on such a sensitive issue like Manipur? We are only demanding him to come to Parliament and speak on this issue. I will not comment on Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar for suspending me as he is not someone related to politics, he is the Vice President.

It is our responsibility to raise the issue of Manipur in Parliament,” the suspended Rajya Sabha MP said.

Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha faced repeated adjournments on Tuesday soon after they met for the day as opposition parties continued their protests over the demand for a detailed discussion on Manipur violence and a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In Lok Sabha, opposition parties began their protest soon after the Question Hour commenced. Speaker Om Birla urged opposition members to resume their seats and said they should allow the House to function as Question Hour helps fix the accountability of the government.

Birla said showing placards and raising slogans was not a solution to any problem and was against the parliamentary traditions.

“Maintain the dignity of the House,” he told the members.

As the opposition members persisted with their protests, he adjourned the House till 2 pm.
In Rajya Sabha, AAP MP Raghav Chadha raised point of order saying he sought division of votes when a motion was moved on Monday to suspend his fellow party leader Sanjay Singh from the Upper House.

“I right now seek division on suspension of Sanjay Singh,” Chadha said.
Despite Chadha’s request, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar turned down his plea and started the business, and papers were laid on the table amid opposition protest.