'Unruly Behaviour' In Lok Sabha: Who Are The 8 Opposition MPs Suspended, And Why?

The Lok Sabha on Tuesday witnessed a massive ruckus followed by the suspension of eight opposition MPs, including seven from the Congress and one from the CPI(M), for the remainder of Parliament’s Budget

session that will end on April 2.

The eight MPs facing suspension include two each from Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala, as well as one each from Telangana and Maharashtra: Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, Gurjeet Singh Aujla, Hibi Eden, Dean Kuriakose, Manickam Tagore, Prashant Padole, and Kiran Kumar Reddy of the Congress; they are joined by S Venkatesan of the CPI (M).

The decision to suspend came following a period of intense disruption and was finalised after Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju moved a resolution that was passed by a voice vote.

WHO ARE THEY?

Amrinder Singh Raja Warring (Congress): Warring, aka Amarinder Singh Brar, currently represents the Ludhiana Lok Sabha constituency in Punjab and has served as the Punjab Congress president since April 2022. He rose through the ranks of the party’s youth wing before entering state and national politics, and was a three-time MLA from Gidderbaha constituency. He has served in the state cabinet as transport minister. His attendance in Parliament is pegged at 70% against the national average of 87%, and he participated in 15 debates and asked 82 questions.

Gurjeet Singh Aujla (Congress): Aujla, also a third-time MP, currently represents the Amritsar Lok Sabha constituency in Punjab. He entered Parliament for the first time by winning a bypoll in 2017, necessitated by the resignation of Captain Amarinder Singh. He is noted for his active participation in the House, and he gained national attention in December 2023 when he was one of the MPs who confronted and helped disarm an intruder who had jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber with a smoke canister. He has maintained a high attendance record of 94% and has participated in 23 debates and asked 71 questions.

Hibi Eden (Congress): Eden currently represents the Ernakulam Lok Sabha constituency in Kerala. He began his political journey in student politics, following in the footsteps of his father, the late George Eden, who was also a long-time MP from Ernakulam. He is a two-time MLA from Ernakulam constituency and then transitioned to national politics in 2019 by winning the Ernakulam Lok Sabha seat, which he retained in the 2024 general elections. He is noted for high levels of engagement in Parliament with 89% attendance, which is well above the national average, and has asked more than 300 questions and introduced nine private member bills.

Dean Kuriakose (Congress): A two-term MP, Kuriakose currently represents Kerala’s Idukki constituency. He is a highly active member of the House, with performance metrics generally exceeding national averages with an attendance record of 93%, participation in 43 debates and 143 questions covering issues relevant to Kerala, such as the construction of a new dam at Mullaperiyar, human-wildlife conflict, the impact of climate change (including the Wayanad disaster), and the welfare of farmers and labourers.

Manickam Tagore (Congress): Tagore, a three-term MP, currently represents the Virudhunagar Lok Sabha constituency in Tamil Nadu. He serves as a whip for the Congress in the Lok Sabha and is also the incharge for the Andhra Pradesh Congress the Andaman and Nicobar Territorial Congress Committee. His career is rooted in the party’s youth and student wings as well. He has an attendance of 99% in Parliament, and has participated in 45 debates and asked 144 questions.

Prashant Padole (Congress): A first-term MP, Padole represents the Bhandara-Gondiya constituency in Maharashtra. Since assuming office, he has been an active participant in legislative proceedings with a record of having asked 77 questions in the House covering a wide range of issues including fertiliser distribution, disaster management, rural development (DAY-NRLM), and the status of smart cities.

S Venkatesan (CPI-M): An acclaimed Tamil writer, Venkatesan currently represents the Madurai constituency in Tamil Nadu. He is a highly celebrated figure in Tamil literature, having won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2011 for his debut novel, Kaval Kottam, which explores the historical landscape of Madurai. During his current term, he has maintained a high engagement level, frequently raising questions regarding civil aviation, health infrastructure, and railway facilities.

WHAT IS THE REASON BEHIND THEIR SUSPENSION?

The formal reason cited for the suspension was the “unruly behaviour” of the MPs, which included tearing papers and throwing them at the Chair.

This allegedly took place during an address by Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, as tensions inside the chamber reached a breaking point. The Chair, occupied by Dilip Saika at the time, named the members following repeated interruptions that made it difficult for the proceedings to continue.

The Centre argued that such disorderly conduct necessitated their removal for the duration of the session to maintain the dignity of the House. In response to the chaos, the BJP has indicated it will lodge a formal complaint with the Speaker, seeking further strict action against those involved.

HOW DID THE OPPOSITION REACT?

The suspension triggered an immediate and fierce reaction from the opposition benches. Rahul Gandhi, alongside Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi, led a protest outside the Parliament building at Makar Dwar.

Describing the move as an “unjust suspension” and an “attack on parliamentary democracy”, Congress leaders said they will not be silenced and will continue to speak on behalf of the nation. The protest was not only about the suspensions but also served as a platform for Rahul to make serious allegations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding a recent India-US trade deal.

He alleged that Modi is “compromised” and “scared” due to alleged legal pressures in the United States. The Congress has demanded full details of the trade agreement, raising concerns about its impact on the agriculture sector and India’s purchase of Russian oil.

WHAT HAPPENED IN THE LOK SABHA?

The events leading to the suspension were marked by a day of sustained uproar and multiple adjournments.

The atmosphere turned particularly volatile after Rahul was disallowed from citing a magazine article based on the unpublished memoirs of former army chief General MM Naravane regarding the 2020 India-China border conflict. As the House met at 3 pm following earlier disruptions, the chaos erupted further with some members allegedly throwing papers towards the Chair during his speech.

With the proceedings rendered impossible by the shouting and disorder, the House was adjourned for the day amid a continuing uproar. The BJP has condemned the disruption, while the opposition maintains that their voice is being suppressed on critical national issues.

(With agency inputs)