120 Opposition MPs to join suspended lawmakers in a protest today
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Opposition MPs protest their suspension from the Rajya Sabha. | PTI
New Delhi: In a show of solidarity to the 12 suspended Rajya Sabha members from five opposition parties, at least 120 Opposition MPs of the Rajya Sabha will join a sit-in protest in the Parliament Complex on Wednesday.
As per a report by the Hindustan Times, the opposition parties, having resumed their protests against the suspension of MPs, chose to intensify their stir demanding the revocation of their "undemocratic" punishment, while underlining that they will not tender an apology.
On Thursday, several Opposition MPs from the Lok Sabha are also likely to join the dharna in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue at the Parliament complex in solidarity with their Rajya Sabha counterparts.
Twelve Opposition MPs -- six from the Congress, two each from the Trinamool Congress and Shiv Sena, and one each from the CPI and CPI(M) - were suspended from Rajya Sabha for the remaining winter session of the Parliament for allegedly creating ruckus on the last day of the monsoon session.
The suspension of the MPs has led to disruption of proceedings in the Upper House, which did not carry any significant business for the second consecutive day on Tuesday.
However, the Opposition parties have said that their protest will continue till the time the suspension of the MPs is revoked.
Meanwhile, the government is firm on its decision that the suspended MPs will have to first apologise for the unruly conduct in the House.
Addressing reporters outside Parliament, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that the suspension is against the rules and undemocratic. The Congress leader also urged Lok Sabha members to join the sit-in.
"The government is fully responsible for the deadlock in Rajya Sabha. We have been meeting the chairman and the government and have stressed that they cannot suspend members like this. They have wrongly and undemocratically suspended 12 MPs for what has happened during the previous Monsoon session," he said.
The government must, Mr Kharge said, first name each member separately and tell why each of them has been suspended and only then can the suspension take place and "that too should have happened on August 11".
"When the House is prorogued, the government has no right to suspend the members anymore for the previous session. Their action of suspension is neither as per rules nor as per the Constitution.
"It seems the government's intention is clear of not allowing the House to function. Until their suspension is revoked, our fight will continue," Mr Kharge said.