Derek O'Brien, 7 other Rajya Sabha MPs suspended for remainder of Monsoon Session over uproar on Farm Bills

Eight Opposition MPs, including Trinamool Congress floor leader Derek O'Brien and Karnataka MP Syed Nasir Hussain, were on Monday suspended for the reminder of the Monsoon Session of Parliament for "unruly behaviour" during the passage of two contentious farm sector bills, intensifying the war between the government and its opponents.

The suspended MPs -- O'Brien, his AAP counterpart Sanjay Singh, CPI(M) leader Elamaram Kareem, Trinamool Congress' Dola Sen, CPI(M)'s KK Ragesh and Congress' Rajeev Satav, Ripun Bora and Hussain -- refused to leave the House, leading to multiple adjournments till the Chair called it a day at 12:07 PM.

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The suspended MPs immediately started an indefinite sit-in near Gandhi Statue in Parliament House and said they would stay put there and would not leave the premises.

While Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu said Deputy Chairman Harivansh, an MP from Bihar, was physically threatened by Opposition MPs on Sunday, the BJP-led played the 'Bihar Card' keeping in mind the upcoming Assembly elections and reminding opponents that people of the state will not forgive them. The Opposition continued to target the government and Harivansh.

In the House, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs V Muraleedharan moved the motion to suspend the MPs, amid Opposition's objections while Naidu announced that the motion was carried. Naidu also rejected a notice for a no-confidence motion against Deputy Chairman Harivansh as it was not in proper format and did not give a 14-day notice period.

The suspended MPs were asked to leave the House but they refused and voiced their protest against the decision. While the Session is scheduled to end on October 1, the government is mulling to curtail it due to a large number of MPs and Ministers contracting Covid-19.

After the motion to suspend the MPs was adopted, Naidu announced that he would be taking up the Calling Attention Motion on GST compensation to states, in which O'Brien, Kareem and Ragesh were among the movers. As the protest continued, Naidu went to other business but continuing protests forced him to adjourn the House till 10 AM. The MPs continued to protest when the House re-assembled but was adjourned again and again.

Just before taking up the motion, Naidu condemned the behaviour of the MPs and said the incidents of Sunday were unfortunate. "It pained me a lot. It defies logic. It was really a bad day for Rajya Sabha," he said adding some Opposition MPs abused Harivansh.

"Some members came to the Well and hurled papers, rule book at the Deputy Chairman and abused him. Some members were climbing on the Secretary General's table, dancing, tearing papers, breaking mikes, obstructing the Deputy Chairman from his duties, throwing papers...The Deputy Chairman was physically threatened. If marshals had not been called on time what would have happened to the Deputy Chairman," he said.

He said such behaviour was "very unfortunate, unacceptable and condemnable" and one that "tarnished the image of Parliament".

The suspension of MPs led to a war of words between the Government and the Opposition with former Congress president Rahul Gandhi tweeting, "muting of democratic India' continues: by initially silencing and later, suspending MPs in the Parliament and turning a blind eye to farmers' concerns on the black agriculture laws. This 'omniscient' government's endless arrogance has brought economic disaster for the entire country."

Union Law Minister Ravishankar Prasad said people of Bihar are pained at the treatment given in Rajya Sabha to its Deputy Chairman Harivansh on Sunday.

One of the suspended MPs Kareem said, "suspension won't silence us. We will stand with farmers in their fight. Deputy Chairman throttled Parliamentary procedures yesterday. Suspension of MPs exposed the cowardly face of BJP. People will see through the attempt to divert attention from their undemocratic actions."

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee sounded the war bugle saying they won't "bow down" but will fight this "fascist government inside Parliament and on the streets. She described the suspension of the MPs "who fought to protect farmers interests" as "unfortunate and reflective" of the government's mindset that "does not respect democratic norms and principles".