Derek O’Brien Suspended from winter session after showdown with chairman Dhankar; TMC MP demanded HM Amit Shah statement on Parliament security breach

TMC MP Derek O'Brien has been suspended from Rajya Sabha on Thursday for the remainder of the winter session following a showdown between him and Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar over Wednesday’s massive security breach in Parliament.

The opposition launched a protest inside the upper house demanding a statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah, calling it a failure on the part of the government. Amidst sloganeering and chaos, Derek O’Brien could be briefly seen for less than 5 seconds inside the well of the house, with his hands up in the air in protest. As the camera of Sansad TV cuts away from the frame to focus back on the Chairman, Dhankar is seen livid and he orders O’Brien by naming him to leave the house.

Soon after the House assembled at noon after an initial adjournment, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar termed it defiance on the part of the TMC MP. Rajya Sabha later adopted a motion for the suspension of the Trinamool member for the remainder of the Winter session for his "unruly behavior, gross misconduct and for defying the Chair" during the proceedings on Thursday morning. “Gross defiance to the directions imparted by the chair was noticed, Shri Derek O’Brien shouted slogans, gesticulated aggression, and reached the table from the well of the house. Such gross misconduct can not be tolerated…” said Chair Jagdeep Dhankar while reading the motion.

Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha Secretariat has suspended eight personnel for the security breach in Parliament on Wednesday.