Chopper crash: Opposition leaders call off protest against suspension of 12 MPs

The Opposition leader on Thursday called off their protests against the suspension of 12 Rajya Sabha MPs in a bid to pay respect to the tragic passing of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat in a helicopter crash.

“We have decided not to protest today in honour of CDS Bipin Rawat and the soldiers who died in the chopper crash and to pay tribute to them,” said the leader of opposition Mallikaarjun Kharge.

Also read: When Gen Bipin Rawat survived a 2015 helicopter crash

Priyanka Chaturvedi, Shiv Sena MP said, “On the solidarity of CDS and others who lost their lives in the crash, we have called off the protest today.”

Several MPs from opposition parties have been protesting against the suspension of 12 MPs. They were suspended by the house on the first day of the winter session proceedings, for alleged unruly conduct towards the end of the monsoon session in August.

Also read: Bipin Rawat chopper crash: History of helicopter crashes involving Mi17-V5

Due to continued protests, Rajya Sabha has been seeing constant disruption and adjournments since the proceedings began on November 29.

The suspended members comprise six from the Congress — Phulo Devi Netam, Chhaya Verma, Ripun Bora, Rajamani Patel, Syed Nasir Hussain and Akhilesh Prasad Singh. It also includes two from Trinamool Congress (Dola Sen, Shanta Chhetri), two from Shiv Sena (Priyanka Chaturvedi, Anil Desai) and one each from CPI (Binoy Viswam) and CPM (Elamaram Kareem).

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A chopper with General Rawat, his wife Madhulika and 12 other people on board crashed near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday afternoon.

The crash resulted in the deaths of 13 people including General Rawat and his wife. The lone survivor, group captain Varun Singh, is currently under treatment at a military hospital in Wellington, the Indian Air Force said.

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General Rawat, India’s first CDS, was on a visit to the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington to address the faculty and student officers of the Staff Course when his chopper crashed.