Vibha Sharma
New Delhi, July 25
Four Lok Sabha MPs of the Congress – Manickam Tagore, Ramya Haridas, Jothimani and TN Pratapan – were today suspended for showing placards and disrupting the proceedings of the House for the remainder of the monsoon session of the Lok Sabha.
Rajendra Agrawal, who was present in the chair, made the announcement after the motion was moved by Union Minister Prahlad Joshi amid a display of slogans and placards, which he termed as a clear violation of the speaker’s direction.
Aggarwal said that action would be taken against those showing placards.
Earlier, the Lok Sabha was adjourned till 3 pm in the post-lunch session, with Speaker Om Birla giving a clear warning to the protesting opposition members, saying action would be taken.
Birla had said that those who want to protest after the Lok Sabha resumes at 3 pm will get enough time to do so outside the House.
The people of the country want this House to function, he said, adding that opposition members continued to disrupt the proceedings with slogans demanding roll back of GST, price hike and other issues.
Urging the MPs not to violate the rules of the House, Birla said that the Center is ready for discussion. The Speaker said that no member who brings a placard to the House would be allowed to take part in the proceedings.
The Congress called it an insensitive decision, while the BJP welcomed it.