Opposition MPs recite national anthem, read Preamble as Winter Session concludes

The winter session of Parliament on Wednesday came to an end while Opposition leaders, including the 12 suspended Rajya MPs, read the Preamble to the Constitution and reciting the national anthem before the statue of Mahatma Gandhi on the premises.

Congress’ Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge was seen taking part in in the protest against the suspension of the MPs for the entire session for alleged unruly conduct during the previous monsoon session in August.

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TMC MP Derek O’brien, who was suspended a day ago over ‘unruly behaviour’, also joined the symbolic protest.

Both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha witnessed repeated adjournments and uproar, including they trooping into the Well of the House, carrying placards, over the suspension of the MPs, all of whom continued to protest beneath the Gandhi statue for the entire winter session.

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While the government asked the MPs to express remorse and apologise to have their suspension revoked, the Opposition refused to budge. 

The 12 suspended MPs, were Elamaram Kareem (CPI-M), Phulo Devi Netam (Congress), Chhaya Verma (Congress), Ripun Bora (Congress), Binoy Viswam (CPI), Rajamani Patel (Congress), Dola Sen (Trinamool Congress), Shanta Chhetri (Trinamool Congress), Syed Nasir Hussain (Congress), Priyanka Chaturvedi (Shiv Sena), Anil Desai (Shiv Sena) and Akhilesh Prasad Singh (Congress).

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Slamming the Opposition over the repeated din, parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi said they seem to be “unable to digest” the mandate of 2019. He added that despite the disruptions, the productivity of Lok Sabha was around 82 per cent and that of Rajya Sabha around 48 per cent.

The winter session, which began on November 29, was concluded a day ahead of its scheduled end on December 23.

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“It is unfortunate that despite our efforts and reaching out to the opposition, they created ruckus in the House. It seems that Congress and other opposition parties are unable to digest the mandate of 2019 given by the people,” Pralhad Joshi told a press conference after the session came to a close.