NEW DELHI: In a blistering assault on the Narendra Modi-led NDA authorities on Wednesday, Sonia Gandhi, chief of the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP), launched a scathing assault on the suspension on 141 Opposition MPs throughout the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament.
Unprecedented Crackdown On Dissent
Expressing her dismay on the authorities’s actions, Sonia Gandhi declared, “Democracy has been strangled by this (Narendra Modi) government. Never before have so many Opposition MPs been suspended from the house (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha), and that too, simply for raising a perfectly reasonable and legitimate demand.” The sturdy condemnation from Sonia Gandhi got here throughout the annual CPP assembly in New Delhi.
CPP chairperson Sonia Gandhi speaks within the Congress Parliamentary Party assembly at Central Hall of Sanvidhan Sadan, Parliament House
“Democracy has been strangulated by this government. Never before have so many Opposition Members of Parliament been suspended from the house,… pic.twitter.com/yCtHi18JOg
— ANI (@ANI) December 20, 2023
Demand For Accountability
Sonia Gandhi additionally voiced her assist for the Opposition MPs who sought a press release from Union Home Minister Amit Shah concerning the Parliamentary safety breach on December 13. She emphasised, “All that the opposition MPs asked for was a statement to be made by the (Union) Home Minister in the Lok Sabha addressing the extraordinary events of December 13.”
‘Arrogance And Disregard For Parliament’
Brandishing the federal government’s response as “arrogant,” the Rae Bareli Congress MP additional asserted, “There are no words to describe the arrogance with which this request was treated. What happened on December 13th is inexcusable and cannot be justified.” She criticized the Prime Minister for addressing the nation outdoors Parliament 4 days after the incident, indicating a disregard for parliamentary dignity and the folks of the nation. “I leave it to you to imagine how the BJP would have responded had they been in Opposition today…,” she added in her speech.
Lok Sabha Over Security Breach
On December 13, chaos erupted in Lok Sabha when two males breached safety, releasing yellow smoke and shouting slogans earlier than being overpowered by MPs. The Delhi Police later arrested six people beneath the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for his or her alleged involvement within the case.
Lok Sabha Issues Circular
Following the suspension of 141 MPs, the Lok Sabha Secretariat issued a round outlining the results. The suspended MPs, 95 from Lok Sabha and 46 from Rajya Sabha, have been barred from getting into the Parliament chamber, foyer, and galleries. The round detailed restrictions, together with the suspension of every day allowances and exclusion from committee actions throughout the interval of suspension.
In a transfer that raises questions in regards to the well being of democracy, the crackdown on dissenting voices inside Parliament has intensified, leaving the suspended MPs in a state of limbo. As the political panorama simmers with stress, the nation watches to see how this conflict between the federal government and the opposition unfolds.
