25 Cong MPs Suspended for Disorderly Conduct

Left parties, TMC, AAP and NCP join Congress-led boycott of Lok Sabha

An open war broke out between the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government and the Opposition on Monday after Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan suspended 25 Congress members for five days on charges of disorderly conduct.

It isn't clear how the parliamentary logjam, which Monday's developments have deepened, will be resolved. What looks certain is the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament, to conclude on August 13, is unlikely to see any business being transacted, a blow to the government's economic reforms agenda.

However, there were indications that the Speaker might be amenable to revoking the suspensions.

At a meeting of the parliamentary joint committee on the contentious Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Amendment) Bill, 2015, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members suggested changes that effectively junked the government's amendments to the United Progressive Alliance government's 2013 land Act. This marked a major victory for the Opposition.

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But the government's overtures might not help in resolving the impasse, with the Congress announcing it will boycott the Lower House. The government's efforts to reach out to the Opposition were further hit as it didn't have a direct communication line with Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi. Congress MPs were heard saying not only the monsoon session, even the winter session would not be allowed to run. What further queers the pitch for any rapprochement is the fact that both the National Democratic Alliance and the Opposition are preparing for what are set to be keenly contested Assembly polls in Bihar.

With the Left parties, the Trinamool Congress, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) joining the Congress-led boycott, the fate of the most economic legislation - the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill cleared by the Cabinet last week - hangs in the balance.

Since Monday morning, the signs were clear: Congress President Sonia Gandhi, while addressing a meeting of the parliamentary party, was critical of the government's conduct and said the House would not function till Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj, as well as the chief ministers of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, resigned. Emerging from the all-party meeting, leader of the Rajya Sabha and Congress MP Ghulam Nabi Azad said the result of negotiations with the government was a big zero. "Our stand is resignation first, then discussion," he said.

When the Upper House convened, Swaraj tried to make a statement but she wasn't allowed to speak. After she laid her statement on the table, the House was adjourned.

In the Lok Sabha, the government tried to conduct some business in the afternoon, but slogan shouting and display of large placards, thrust at Deputy Speaker Thambi Durai's face, caused Left party MPs to counsel their Congress colleagues to show some restraint. Several ministers, including Rajiv Pratap Rudy, too, crossed over to Opposition aisles to plead with the MPs. Finally, Sumitra Mahajan named 25 Congress MPs, announcing their suspension under article 374 (a) of the rules of business.

Reference - http://www.business-standard.com/article/politics/25-cong-mps-suspended-for-disorderly-conduct-115080400051_1.html