45 Lok Sabha members suspended in 2 days for interruptions

New Delhi, Jan 3 Cracking the whip on unruly MPs , Speaker Sumitra Mahajan has suspended 45 Lok Sabha members having a place with the TDP and the AIADMK since Wednesday after they made furor in the House and consistently upset procedures for a considerable length of time.

Mahajan had suspended 24 AIADMK members on Wednesday for five consecutive sittings. A day later, she suspended 21 members from AIADMK and TDP and an unattached YSR Congress member. The move was made under standard 374A of Lok Sabha which says that they can't go to the rest of the times of the session, which concludes up on January 8.

While AIADMK has 37 members, the TDP has 15 in the lower house.

Action against such a large number of MPs is unusual.

In February, 2014, the then Speaker Meira Kumar had suspended 18 MPs from Andhra Pradesh following bedlam in the House. Those suspended then were either supporting or opposing creation of Telangana.

Continuing in Lok Sabha during the winter session that initiated on December 11 have been repeatedly stalled due to protests by AIADMK and TDP members over a proposed dam on river Cauvery and special state status to Andhra Pradesh separately.

While 19 MPs were suspended around twelve on Thursday, two others were requested to go out around 2.00 pm.

When the Zero Hour started at twelve on Thursday, AIADMK and TDP members trooped in the Well, raising slogans and carrying banners.

The AIADMK members flung papers towards the chair a few times. Amid the ruckus, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Narendra Singh Tomar spoke to the unsettling MPs to come back to their seats.

However, protests by the unrelenting members of the two Southern parties continued.

At this, the Speaker initially warned that she would be forced to name the wild individuals and take action against them.

"I warn you, I will take you names. You have gone to the Well and are tirelessly making inconvenience," she said.

As the warn warn, the Speaker suspended 11 TDP MPs, seven AIADMK members and an unattached member under Rule 374(A) for the next four sitting of the House.

Among the suspended MPs were former Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju (TDP), Thota Narasimham (TDP) and Renuka Butta (unattached) who had won on a YSR Congress ticket.

"You are wilfully obstructing the proceedings of the House. I am, along these lines, compelled to name you and suspend you for four consecutive days," Mahajan said.

The Speaker along these lines deferred the House till 2 pm in the wake of leading business for almost 15 minutes amid the Zero Hour.

When the House met again at 2 pm, a few individuals proceeded with challenge in the Well despite being suspended.

She at that point suspended two more TDP membes for disturbing procedures. In the midst of the commotion, the House was deferred for the day without taking up the rest of the part of debate on the Rafale issue.

Meanwhile, a few pictures being shared via web-based networking media purportedly demonstrated TDP individuals remaining on the Speaker's platform and holding notices when the House was adjourned soon after noon.

They had not left the Lok Sabha chamber even after the House was adjourned.

Two questions were taken up amid the Question Hour even as the members continued to shout slogans.

Members from the Congress needed to raise the Sabarimala issue and Mahajan revealed to them that the issue can be raised later.