Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on August 1 revoked the suspension of four Congress members after seeking assurance from the Opposition that they will not bring placards to the House.
The revocation of suspension, a week after the four Congress MPs were suspended for “unruly” behaviour, paved way for the resumption of normal business as the Lower House took up a short discussion on inflation.
Four Congress members — Manickam Tagore, Ramya Haridas, T N Prathapan and S Jothimani — were suspended last Monday for the rest of the monsoon session for carrying placards and raising slogans inside the Well of the Lok Sabha.
Before the resumption of the House at 2.00 p.m., Mr. Birla convened a meeting of all the floor leaders in his chamber to discuss the matter and end the stalemate. When the House resumed post-lunch, the Speaker said he was hurt by the recent incidents and urged members to work towards upholding the dignity of the House.
“There should be a consensus that we do not get placards in the House. I will urge all political parties not to bring placards to the House. I am giving a final warning, if anyone gets placards to the House, I will neither listen to the government nor the Opposition and will take action,” Speaker Birla told the House.
Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said the Opposition had to raise some issues vociferously in the House, and at times resort to protests if the government does not give them a patient hearing. The Congress leader suggested that the Speaker call a meeting of the General Purposes Committee to decide on the modes of protests in the House. Assuring the Speaker that he will convey the views expressed by him to the suspended members, Mr. Chowdhury said it was not the intention of the Opposition to hurt the chair.
“I am not able to understand why the Lok Sabha productivity was lost for the last two weeks,” Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said, adding that he had told the all-party meeting that the discussion on price rise would be taken up once Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman recovered from COVID-19.
