Two more Opposition MPs were suspended today for misconduct in Lok Sabha, adding to the record-breaking suspension of this session and sparking a huge row.
A total of 143 Opposition MPs were suspended in the two Houses last week after demanding an explanation from Union Home Minister Amit Shah over last week's security breach in Parliament. As many as 97 Lok Sabha MPs have been suspended in Lok Sabha alone.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla suspended Thomas Chazhikadan of the Kerala Congress (Mani) and AM Ariff of the CPI(M) after the House passed a resolution moved by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi. The two MPs have been suspended for the remainder of the session.
Of the 142 opposition MPs in Lok Sabha, 97 are now suspended: more than 68 percent.
With less than a hundred opposition MPs in Rajya Sabha after the adjournment wave, the government does not face any challenge in that House either.
This essentially means that it is currently a piece of cake for the government to get legislation through the House. And there are still two days to go before the end of the winter session – the last full session before the Lok Sabha elections next year.