Modi slow-poisoning Parliament, manufacturing majority in RS

[bhaigan]

TMC Rajya Sabha floor leader Derek O’Brien Wednesday said the government tried to “manufacture” a majority in the Upper House through the suspensions of Opposition MPs. While 12 MPs — six from Congress, two each from TMC and Shiv Sena, and one each from the CPI and CPI(M) — were suspended from the winter session on November 29, O’Brien was suspended on Tuesday.

O’Brien’s suspension had come on a motion moved by MoS V Muraleedharan, which accused him of “unruly and contemptuous behavior, unbecoming (of) a member of the Rajya Sabha by brazenly throwing the Rajya Sabha Rule Book towards the Chair” during a discussion on the electoral reforms Bill, which was later passed through a voice vote. His suspension lasted a day as the House was adjourned sine die on Wednesday. Joining other suspended MPs at the Gandhi statue in the Parliament complex on Wednesday, O’Brien said, “Hitler burned down Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is slow-poisoning Parliament. This government has tried to manufacture a majority in the Upper House by suspending 12 MPs. Under this dispensation, democracy is being mocked and dismantled every day.”