Minister says RS members' suspension can be revoked if they apologise

New Delhi: Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi said that the Union government was forced to suspend 12 Opposition MPs of Rajya Sabha for inappropriate behaviour in the House, but would consider revoking their suspension if they apologise, NDTV reportednews portals reported. Joshi tweeted on Tuesday that if the MPs agree to the condition, the government will cancel the suspension with an 'open heart'.

Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, said on Tuesday that the MPs will not offer apology, alleging that they were suspended against the rules. However, the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Venkaiah Naidu said the suspension won't be lifted, and the members have not expressed any remorse over the incident.

The MPs were suspended, citing on the grounds of inappropriate behaviour in the Upper House on August 11, the last day of the Monsoon session of the Parliament.

Joshi added that the government is about to introduce many essential bills in the House during the current session and called for a healthy discussion. The government is ready to debate every issue as per rules and answer every question, he said.

On Tuesday, on the very first day of the Winter Session of the Parliament, the 12 MPs, including the Shiv Sena's Priyanka Chaturvedi and Anil Desai, Trinamool Congress's Dola Sen and Shanta Chhetri, CPM's Elamaram Kareem and six Congress leaders, were suspended from the whole session for the ruckus scenes in August. At that time, the Opposition MPs and the government were on each other over the Pegasus scandal. The suspension motion stated that the MPs had willingly committed unprecedented acts of misconduct, contemptuous, violent and unruly behaviour and intentional attacks on the security personnel.

Joshi had earlier said that all the required video footage showing the MPs conduct is available on social media as they themselves had uploaded it. The Chair has taken the required action at the first available opportunity, he said.

Meanwhile, PTI reported that leaders of 16 opposition parties on Tuesday met Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu and urged him to revoke the suspension of 12 opposition MPs from the Upper House.

A day after the 12 MPs were suspended, Opposition leaders held a meeting in the chamber of Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge.

According to sources, former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi was also present at the meeting.

The Trinamool Congress did not participate in the opposition meeting even though two of its MPs have also been suspended for the remainder of the Winter session.

The opposition leaders led by Kharge later met Naidu and urged him to revoke the suspension of the members, the sources said.

Leaders of some parties also contemplated boycotting the House but some members did not agree to this suggestion, the sources said.

Leaders of the DMK, NCP, Shiv Sena, CPI and CPI-M, RJD, TRS, IUML, RSP, MDMK, LJD, NC, Kerala Congress, VCK and AAP, besides that of the Congress were present at the meeting.

Twelve opposition MPs were on Monday suspended for the remainder of the session for their unruly behaviour and misconduct during the last day of the Monsoon session on August 11, after the government moved a motion in this regard.

Leaders of 12 opposition parties had on Monday condemned the government for bringing the motion that led to the suspension of the 12 members.

The opposition leaders termed the suspension "unwarranted and undemocratic", and alleged that the action was in violation of all rules and procedures of the Upper House.

The suspended MPs comprise six from the Congress, two each from Trinamool Congress and Shiv Sena, and one each from CPI and CPM.