Congress leader Karti P Chidambaram drew attention to the evolving state of the Indian Parliament, likening it to its North Korean counterpart and highlighting concerns about the diminishing democratic norms as 49 Lok Sabha MPs faced suspension from the House on Tuesday, just a day after 78 opposition members were suspended from Parliament.
The list of suspended MPs includes prominent figures such as National Conference's Farooq Abdullah, Congress leaders Shashi Tharoor, Manish Tewari, Karti Chidambaram, and Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav.
Other members suspended from the Lok Sabha on Tuesday encompass Supriya Sule of the NCP, S Jagathrakshakan, and DNV Senthil Kumar of the DMK, Giridhari Yadav of the JD(U), Danish Ali (suspended from the BSP), and Sushil Kumar Rinku of the AAP.
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Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, while putting forward a motion for the suspension of these MPs, accused them of being "frustrated" over the recent assembly election results.
"INDIA bloc MPs have been demanding a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah on the security breach in Parliament on December 13. They had agreed not to bring placards. They are frustrated with their loss, so taking such steps. These people will not come back in the House next time if this behaviour continues," Joshi remarked.
How have the Opposition leaders reacted?
Congress leader Karti P Chidambaram told PTI on Tuesday, "This is going to resemble the North Korean Assembly. This is going to be a token house."
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"They (government) don't have faith in democracy. This is their definition of new India that those questioning the government be suspended," says Samajwadi Party MP Danish Ali.
Congress veteran Shashi Tharoor told media, ""I think it's a disgrace, to be very blunt. I think what we are seeing with this Parliament right now is a situation where they have no desire to have a democratic system. What they are interested in is an 'Opposition-mukt Lok Sabha'."
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav asked, "How will they now call it (the Parliament) a temple of democracy, when the opposition is thrown out in such a manner?" on suspension of MPs in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
JD(U) MP Rajiv Ranjan Singh expressed, "Parliament is the temple of democracy and it is being defamed, democracy is being murdered. The MPs have just one demand - Home Minister's statement in the House, but he will not do that; instead they will suspend the MPs making this demand."
"It is a very unfortunate incident for India's democratic set up. No where, in a democratic set up, so many MPs have been suspended," says Samajwadi Party leader Dimple Yadav.
"The huge number (of members suspended) shows that the government has become autocratic. The government doesn't trust people's representatives and democracy. It only wants dictatorial regime," says Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav.
