The Aam Aadmi Party on Friday lashed out at the BJP over suspension of its MPs from both Houses of Parliament, accusing the Narendra Modi-led central government of adopting a “dictatorial approach” to silence the opposition. The reaction comes after AAP MP Raghav Chadha was suspended from the Rajya Sabha for “gross violation of rules, misconduct, defiant attitude and contemptuous conduct”, pending a report by the privileges committee. The Upper House of Parliament also approved the continuation of suspension of senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh, pending the privileges committee report. Singh was suspended on July 24, four days after the Monsoon session began.
The AAP’s lone MP in Lok Sabha Sushil Kumar Rinku was suspended for unruly behaviour on August 3 after he tore some papers in the well of the House and threw them in the direction of Speaker Om Birla following the passage of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill.
“Extension of Sanjay Singh’s suspension is violation of rules… This is dictatorship. The prime minister is frustrated,” AAP Rajya Sabha MP N D Gupta told reporters at a joint press conference with other party MPs. He said Singh was suspended for the remainder of the Monsoon session under Rule 256 which stipulates that his suspension cannot be extended beyond this session.
