Reacting to the suspension of the Opposition MPs from the Parliament, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and asked what was the need for a new Parliament building when MPs were to suspended.
"People want to know when MPs were to be suspended, why was there a need for a new Parliament building? It would have been better if the BJP had built a new room, for two-three people, in the old Parliament itself," said the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister on X.
Forty-nine opposition MPs, including Farooq Abdullah, Supriya Sule, Dimple Yadav and Shashi Tharoor, were on Tuesday suspended from Lok Sabha for the remainder of the winter session, a day after 33 MPs were suspended from the House for "misconduct".
The action came after the House faced adjournments, with opposition members raising slogans and displaying placards over their demands. They have been demanding a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah over the Parliament security breach on December 13.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said that the members had been suspended for showing placards and that all MPs had agreed that they will not resort to this in the new Parliament building. He said the opposition members had broken rules and disrespected the Chair.
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Meanwhile, the Opposition came down heavily at the BJP for the suspension of MPs and alleged mockery of democracy.
"Debate is the root of democracy. A good government can exist only when there is a strong opposition party," Siddaramaiah said during a media interaction after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Lashing out at the ruling BJP, AAP's Raghav Chadha said, "What is most shocking and most unfortunate is the fact that the BJP member of parliament who sponsored and facilitated the entry of two intruders in the visitor's gallery who then subsequently breached the security of the Lok Sabha has not been suspended, expelled or called for investigation. But those members who were seeking a response from the government on the security breach and the role of the BJP MP have been suspended. Those who sponsored the intruders have not been suspended."
(With inputs from agency)