Suspended MPs should at least express regret: Pralhad Joshi

New Delhi, Dec 14 (IANS) Amid standoff over MPs' suspension, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi on Tuesday said that the Opposition was only disrupting the House proceedings.

While interacting with media on the Parliament premises, he said: "We are talking to the suspended MPs individually and they should at least regret their conduct."

Responding to Opposition's allegation of running the Zero Hour amid din, Joshi said: "For the past two weeks, the proceedings are being disrupted when the Members want to raise important issues of their states and constituencies."

Joshi said that 50 members have given Zero Hour notice of which 26 had been admitted by the chair, including those of the Opposition members.

The chairman conducted the House proceedings for an hour during Zero Hour amid din, while the Opposition resorted to sloganeering and later questioned it.

The House was adjourned till 2 p.m. after the Zero Hour. The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs said that the government has adjourned the House for discussion and expects the Opposition to apologise and come into the House and participate in discussion.

The like-minded Opposition leaders of both the Houses met on Tuesday at Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge's office and took out a march in solidarity with the suspended MPs.

The Opposition and the government is at loggerheads on the issue and on Monday, the Upper House witnessed unabated disruptions with the Opposition demanding revocation of the suspension.