TMC MP Shantanu Sen suspended from Rajya Sabha

New Delhi: TMC MP Shantanu Sen was suspended from the Rajya Sabha on Friday for the remaining period of the monsoon session after a motion moved by the government was passed by the House.

Soon after the obituary references and laying of papers, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs V Muraleedharan moved a motion for Sen’s suspension after the Trinamool Congress (TMC) member snatched papers from Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and tore those in the House on Thursday.

The motion was passed by a voice vote and Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu asked Sen to leave the House.

The TMC members protested and raised objection to the manner in which the motion was brought without listing it in the day’s business.

TMC MP Sukhendu Sekhar Ray raised the issue of Sen being threatened by a minister, but the chairman said it happened after the House was adjourned.

Soon after Sen was asked to leave the House by the Chairman after a motion was passed against him, TMC members raised strong objections on the suspension and raised uproar.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs V Muraleedharan had moved a motion for Sen’s suspension after the Trinamool Congress (TMC) member snatched papers from Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and tore those in the House on Thursday.

Congress and other opposition members also demanded a discussion on the Pegasus spyware issue and created uproar.

Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu adjourned the House till 12 noon.

He earlier urged the government and the opposition to sit together and evolve a strategy to help run the House smoothly.

The Lok Sabha too was adjourned till noon on Friday amid protests by Opposition members over issues ranging from a demand for a repeal of three agriculture laws to the Pegasus snooping controversy.

As the House convened at 11 am, Speaker Om Birla extended best wishes to the Indian contingent in the Tokyo Olympics on behalf of the House.

The mega carnival of sports starts from Friday.

Soon after, the Opposition members started protesting.

This is the fourth day since the Monsoon Session of Parliament commenced on July 19 that the Lok Sabha proceedings had to be adjourned in the very first hour due to protests by Opposition members.

As some members had removed their face masks while protesting, Birla wondered what message will be conveyed to people if lawmakers themselves resort to acts that can lead to the transmission of the COVID-19.