Eight MPs suspended from Rajya Sabha over ruckus on farm bills

Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu also rejected a notice for no confidence motion against deputy chairman Harivansh on the grounds that proper procedure was not followed.

The eight suspended members are Derek O’Brien, KK Ragesh, Dola Sen, Syed Nazir Hussain, Sanjay Singh, Rajiv Sattav, Ripun Bora and Elamaram Karim.

“Derek O Brien, Sanjay Singh, Raju Satav, KK Ragesh, Ripun Bora, Dola Sen, Syed Nazir Hussain and Elamaran Karim suspended for one week for unruly behaviour with the Chair,” Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said on Monday.

Naidu condemned the unruly behaviour and “threats” to Harivansh during the passage of the farm bills.

Shortly thereafter, Parliamentary Affairs Ministers read out a motion seeking suspension of eight members for the remainder of the session.

Naidu put the motion to vote and it was carried by voice vote.

Rajya Sabha adjourned till 10.36 am, amid continuous protest against the suspension of Opposition MPs.

“The suspended members have no right to be in the House. The House cannot function with the presence of non-members,” said Rajya Sabha MP V. Muraleedharan

Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha Harivansh said, “I urge the members named by the Rajya Sabha Chairman to not take part in the House proceedings”.

Two key farm bills, dubbed as the biggest reform in agriculture by the government, were on Sunday passed by Rajya Sabha with voice vote amid unprecedented unruly scenes by protesting opposition members who were demanding that the proposed legislation be referred to a House panel for greater scrutiny.

Rajya Sabha witnessed unruly scenes on Sunday as Opposition members stormed the well and reached the deputy chairman’s seat to protest against the farm Bills debated and passed by the Upper House through voice vote.

Criticising the conduct of the members of the house, six Ministers led by Rajnath Singh expressed pain and anguish over the incident.