INDIA leaders protest in Parliament over suspension of Adhir from Lok Sabha

New Delhi, Aug 11 (IANS) A day after Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was suspended from the House for his objectionable remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the INDIA parties on Friday staged a protest in the Parliament with grand old party chief Mallikarjun Kharge alleging that the government wants to “suppress democracy” and does not want to “follow the Constitution” to run the House.

The Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) party MPs including Kharge, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi staged a protest near the BR Ambedkar statue in Parliament.

Speaking to the media, Kharge said: “Today we are staging a protest near Ambedkar statue because the Constitution is being sidelined. BJP government, especially Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji does not want to run the House as per the Constitution.”

He said that the rules, regulations are being sidelined and they are threatening every member.

“And by suspending the members they are sending it to the privileges committee so that the member does not come in the business advisory committee and also in the public accounts committee and the CAG committee. These committees highlight the drawbacks of the government,” he alleged.

Kharge, who is also the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha said that they (government) have not even told the time for how many days he (Chowdhury) has been suspended.

“He has been suspended in similar way the way in which party Rajya Sabha MP Rajani Patil was suspended from the House. And they want to suppress the democracy and does not want to follow the Constitution and thus we are staging the protest. We will fight against their illegal ways,” Kharge fumed.

Chowdhury was suspended from Lok Sabha for making objectionable comments on the prime minister during his speech while participating in the no-confidence discussion, and his suspension will be in place till the report of the privileges committee comes.

The Lower House through voice vote passed the resolution to suspend Chowdhury, after Parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi informed the House that Chowdhury has often made baseless allegations and remarks against leaders from the ruling party, be it the prime minister or other cabinet ministers.