Kharge urges action by Rajya Sabha Chairman over Adhir Ranjan's Lok Sabha suspension

Congress President and LoP in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge raised the issue of suspension of the Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury claiming that Chowdhury was suspended on a flimsy ground. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, the Congress MP in Lok Sabha, was expelled from the Lok Sabha on Thursday due to "repeated misconduct".

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary, the party's Lok Sabha whip who was expelled from the Lower House of Parliament on Thursday, was justified by Kharge as he said, "...He has been suspended on a flimsy ground. He just said 'Nirav Modi'. Nirav means calm, silent. You suspend him over that?..."

#WATCH | LoP in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge raises the issue of the suspension of Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury; says, "...He has been suspended on a flimsy ground. He just said 'Nirav Modi'. Nirav means calm, silent. You suspend him over that?..." pic.twitter.com/La3xjqHpcD

— ANI (@ANI) August 11, 2023

"I am pleading with the vice president and the Chairman of the House that you have to protect the democracy as he (Adhir) is in the public accounts committee, business advisory committee too and the CBC selection. If he is suspended, he will be deprived of all these institutions,” Kharge added.

The Chairman of the Rajya Sabha and Vice President of India, Jagdeep Dhankhar, replied to the LoP in the Upper House that the issue is from the other House and hence cannot be acted upon. 

Pralhad Joshi, the minister for parliamentary affairs, proposed a motion advocating for Chowdhury's suspension on the grounds that he constantly disrupts the House whenever Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other ministers speak or when a discussion is in progress. A voice vote was conducted to approve the resolution.

The move taken against its floor leader was described as "unbelievable" and "undemocratic" by the Congress.

“First time for speaking against Modi, largest opposition (party) leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury suspended. Unbelievable. Undemocratic. Condemn the autocracy." said the whip of the Congress in Lok Sabha.

A Congress leader said it was perhaps the first time the leader of the principal opposition party has been suspended from Lok Sabha.

In his remarks to the House, Minister Joshi for Parliamentary Affairs stated, "It has become habitual for him (Adhir) and it has become most unfortunate. He is the leader of the Congress party, which is the largest party in the opposition in this House. Despite repeated warnings he has not improved himself." 

"Always in his debate he makes these baseless charges, he tries to lower the dignity of the government. There are no facts in his arguments and he never apologises. Today also, we demanded that he apologise. He did the same thing when the home minister was speaking," Joshi added.

(With agency inputs)