Winter Session of Parliament: Suspension of 12 Opposition MPs biggest in Rajya Sabha history

New Delhi: The suspension of 12 MPs from Rajya Sabha on Monday for the entire Winter Session of Parliament for their “unruly” conduct in the previous session in August is the biggest such action in the history of the Upper House. The motion to suspend Phulo Devi Netam, Chhaya Verma, Ripun Bora, Rajamani Patel, Syed Nasir Hussain and Akhilesh Prasad Singh of the Congress; Dola Sen, Shanta Chhetri of Trinamool Congress; Priyanka Chaturvedi, Anil Desai of Shiv Sena; Elamaram Kareem of CPM; and Binoy Viswam of CPI was moved by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi. This is the biggest suspension of MPs from Rajya Sabha, according to officials aware of parliamentary records. Previously in 2020, eight MPs - Derek O’Brien (TMC), Sanjay Singh (AAP), Rajeev Satav (Congress), KK Nagesh (CPI(M)), Syed Nasir Hussain (Congress), Ripun Bora (Congress), Dola Sen (TMC) and Elamaran Kareem of CPI(M) - were suspended which was the second-highest number. Seven MPs were also suspended from Rajya Sabha in 2010. Prominent leader and freedom fighter Raj Narayan had been suspended four times from Rajya Sabha while former deputy speaker Godey Murahari has been suspended twice from the Upper House.