Parliament winter session: India opposition fury as 141 MPs suspended

The Indian Parliament witnessed intense protests as an additional 49 opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) were suspended, bringing the total number of barred lawmakers to 141. These MPs were protesting against a security breach in parliament that occurred last week. The opposition, on Monday, accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government of undermining democracy as a record 78 MPs were suspended in a single day. The majority of the suspended lawmakers face exclusion for the remainder of the winter session, concluding on Friday, while approximately two dozen may face extended suspensions pending the parliament’s privileges committee decision.

The suspended MPs largely belong to the INDIA alliance, a coalition of opposition parties gearing up to challenge Prime Minister Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming general election. Of the alliance’s 142 MPs in the 543-member Lok Sabha (lower house), 95 have been suspended, and in the 250-member upper house or Rajya Sabha, 46 out of 101 MPs face suspension. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor lamented the situation, stating that parliamentary democracy in India seemed to be facing its demise.

The ruling BJP has accused opposition leaders of intentionally disrupting parliamentary proceedings, exacerbating the already strained relations between the opposition and the Modi government. Many opposition MPs had been demanding a statement from either Home Minister Amit Shah or Prime Minister Modi regarding last week’s security breach, where intruders entered parliament, released colored gas, and shouted slogans. Six individuals have been arrested, with four protesters charged under anti-terror laws. While the motive has not been officially disclosed, reports suggest the protesters, unemployed and frustrated with government policies, sought to express their discontent.

Opposition MPs have called for a parliamentary discussion on the security lapse, but both Modi and Shah have not addressed the issue in parliament. Modi, in a Hindi newspaper, emphasized the seriousness of the incident and called for a thorough investigation. Shah, at an event, announced a high-level inquiry and accused the opposition of politicizing the security breach. Opposition leaders criticized the government’s actions, alleging a deliberate suspension of key figures to pass important bills without debate. Federal minister Piyush Goyal, who moved the motion to suspend 34 MPs, labeled the opposition’s protest a “pre-planned strategy” to disrupt parliament’s functioning and obstruct crucial bills, accusing them of disrespecting parliamentary leaders.