New Delhi: The suspension of Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP, Raghav Chadha, was revoked on Monday, on the first day of the Parliament's Winter Session.
Chadha's suspension was revoked by Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on the motion moved by BJP MP GVL Narasimha Rao. The AAP MP has been suspended from the Rajya Sabha for 115 days, from August 11 for a "breach of privilege".
Chadha, who was accused by the BJP of forging the signatures of five MPs, was suspended from the Rajya Sabha by Dhankhar, on the last day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament.
He had allegedly proposed the four Rajya Sabha MPs, including two from the ruling BJP and without their consent, as members of a panel to study the Delhi services ordinance (now law), which gives the centre control over bureaucrats in the city, and which led to a row between the AAP and the centre.
Announcing the suspension of Chadha, Dhankhar had said, "Taking holistic view of the gravity of his misdemeanor, violation of rules, defined attitude and inappropriate conduct, I find it expedite invoking Rule 266 read along with Rule 256 and suspend Raghav Chadha from the service of the Council, till the Council has the benefit of the report by the Committee of Privileges."
The AAP leader had refuted the allegations and accused the BJP of targeting him because it could not accept that a young parliamentarian had taken on its tallest leaders.
"The BJP's mantra is 'repeat a lie a thousand times, and it becomes the truth'. Following this mantra, a misinformation campaign was launched against me," Chadha said as he challenged the ruling party to "show any piece of paper where I have forged anyone's signature".
Waving a Rajya Sabha rulebook, he also pointed out there was no need, under current rules, for a MP's signature or written consent to propose his/her name for a select committee. Chadha had also moved the Supreme Court to challenge his suspension.
On October 30 the court expressed its concern over his indefinite suspension and its impact on the right of the people of his state to be represented. Chadha is a Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab.
With agency inputs