Suspended Indian Lawmakers Protest in Front of Mahatma Gandhi Statue on Parliament Premises
12:38 GMT 01.12.2021 (Updated: 11:42 GMT 10.12.2022)
© REUTERS / ANUSHREE FADNAVIS
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Indian opposition parties have been ramping up their attacks on the Narendra Modi-led government since the start of the winter session in Parliament. On the first day, 29 November, the parties lashed out at the federal government for repealing the farm laws without discussion and slammed the suspension of 12 opposition lawmakers.
Twelve opposition parliamentarians, who were suspended on the first day of the Indian Parliament's winter session on 29 November started a protest on Wednesday morning in front of the statue of Indian freedom struggle icon Mahatma Gandhi.
The suspended politicians, who began their protest at 10 am (local time) were joined by various opposition party members.
India’s main opposition party Congress has asked all of its parliamentarians to join the protest to show solidarity with the 12 lawmakers.
Opposition including @INCIndia @AITCofficial DMK TRS, Shiv Sena, NCP, SP among others protesting against the suspension of 12 RS MPs. @IndianExpress pic.twitter.com/hLWdttpg9T
— Liz Mathew (@MathewLiz) December 1, 2021
#Opposition MPs protest suspension of 12 MPs from Rajya Sabha. .@timesofindia #Suspension #FarmLaws pic.twitter.com/B7hgfWdYt4
— Swati Mathur (@SwatiMathurTOI) December 1, 2021
Opposition MPs protesting in Parliament against the suspension of 12 MPs in Rajya Sabha.
— Arvind Gunasekar (@arvindgunasekar) December 1, 2021
The suspended MPs will sit on dharna near the Gandhi statue. pic.twitter.com/8l5DmmR7AY
Meanwhile, West Bengal state's ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) has announced that two of its lawmakers who have been suspended will protest for the entire winter session.
Leader of the opposition in Rajya Sabha (Upper House of the Parliament) Mallikarjun Kharge has also invited opposition parties to a meeting to formulate a strategy.
All opposition parties have slammed the MPs suspension as “illegal."
On 29 November, 12 opposition lawmakers were suspended for "obstructing" Parliament with "unprecedented acts" on the last day of the previous session.
Despite the demand of the opposition parties, Chairperson of Rajya Sabha (Upper House) M. Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday said that the suspension will stand.
His decision was followed by a walkout staged by opposition parties in both houses of Parliament in protest against the suspension.
Congress Leader in the Lower House (Lok Sabha) Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury even accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government of using suspension as a “threat” to silence the opposition.
The opposition parties have warned that if the suspension is not revoked, they will boycott the entire session of the upper house.
