Sanjay Raut backs suspended Rajya Sabha MPs, affirms support of 'all 90 Opposition MPs'

Backing the 8 MPs who are protesting their week-long suspension,  Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut, on Monday, asserted that not just 8 MPs, all 90 Opposition MPs were with them. He also claimed that the way the MPs had been suspended was against the law. Incidentally, Shiv Sena voted for the three Farm Bills in the Lok Sabha and was not present for the voice vote in the Rajya Sabha.

Fadnavis takes a dig at Shiv Sena for its contrasting stand on farm bills in Parliament

8 MPs suspended due to unruly behaviour

Earlier in the day, Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu suspended  8 MPs for a week on charges of misconduct. The suspended MPs include - Trinamool's Derek O'Brien and Dola Sen, AAP's Sanjay Singh, CPM's KK Ragesh and Elamaram Karim And Congress' Rajiv Satav and Syed Naseer Hussain. Vice President Naidu advised, "Throwing papers and rule-book is not the way. I suggest the members introspect".

Meanwhile, Naidu refused to allow a vote of no-confidence against the Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh, which was moved by 12 Opposition parties. On Sunday, six Union Ministers had condemned the 'attack' on the Deputy Chair in a press meet, with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh calling it 'sad, shameful and unfortunate'. After failing to vote on a no-confidence motion, the 12 Opposition parties are set to meet President Ram Nath Kovind, seeking his dissent against the three farm bills.

Six Union Ministers condemn attack on RS Dy. Chair by Opposition MPs: 'Shameful & sad'

Oppositions protest in Rajya Sabha

While opposing the two bills, Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Derek O'Brien targeted the Centre and reminded the Centre of its promise of doubling farmers' income by 2022. He then marched up to the well of the house and tore the rule book and ripped the mic off the house Chair. Similarly, AAP MP Sanjay Singh and Rajeev Satav stormed the well and stood on the table in front of the Chair and raised slogans like 'down with dictatorship', while clapping. The Rajya Sabha TV feed was temporarily cut off amid the chaos.

8 Rajya Sabha MPs including Derek O'Brien & Sanjay Singh suspended for 1 week for ruckus

Meanwhile, Delhi BJP shared a video showing the AAP MP physically assaulting a marshal before TMC's Derek O'Brien and others intervened. In the video, he can be seen dragging the marshall by his neck following which he was escorted out of the House. While Opposition has called the passage of the bills via voice vote a 'murder of democracy', the BJP has termed the attack on the chair the same. Both bills - Farmers' and Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 were introduced on Sunday and was passed amid chaos.

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