Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury suspended from Lok Sabha; Congress calls it “tyranny of majority”

Congress leader in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was suspended from the house on Thursday for alleged misconduct, in a first of an instance where a leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha has been suspended. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi moved the resolution for Chowdhury’s suspension alleging his comments against the PM during the no-confidence debate were disrespectful towards his chair. Following strong objections from BJP, Choudhury’s statements were later expunged from the Lok Sabha. The suspension has been sent to a privilege committee and pending investigation. 

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury called his suspension the “tyranny of the majority.” Questioning the basis of the suspension, Chowdhury claimed that he would leave politics if proven that he had committed any mistake, squarely blaming politics behind the interpretation of his “metaphorical language”. “If they prove that I committed a mistake, I am ready to leave my political life. We use metaphorical language in the House all the time. Haven’t members said Nero played the fiddle while Manipur burned? Everybody said. It is a metaphorical usage. Our language is loaded with these kinds of skilful utterances, metaphorical utterances” he said.

The congress leaders and other opposition members of India alliance had walked out of there house after 90 minutes of PM’s speech in protest against the fact that PM hadn’t spoken about Manipur till then, contrary to what they were demanding. PM however spoke on Manipur after the opposition had walked out towards the end of his 132 minute long speech. 

“This is absolutely undemocratic. It reflects the arrogance of power. This tradition will prove fatal for both the Constitution and parliamentary democracy. We strongly condemn it,” said Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. 

 The motion for Mr Chowdhury's suspension was moved by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi. “ In spite of repeated requests and repeated warnings from the Chair, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has not improved himself, and during his debates he always makes baseless charges… He tries to tarnish the image of the country and the government” he said while moving the suspension motion.