2 Cong MPs set to be suspended for misconduct with Smriti in LS

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 6 

Two Congress members from Kerala are set to be suspended from the Lok Sabha on Monday for the remainder of the winter session for exhibiting a  “threatening posture” to Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani during a debate in the House on women’s safety today.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi complained to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla about the matter under Rule 374 of House proceedings which allow the Chair to suspend disorderly MPs.

The government will on Monday move a motion under the said under Rule 374 seeking suspension of TN Prathapan and Dean Kuriakose of the Congress for the rest of the session which ends on December 13. The MPs did not apologise for their “misconduct“ today despite two adjournments on the matter and the Chair urging them to regret.

The motion reads, “Having taken serious note of the misconduct of TN Prathapan and Dean Kuriakose with a woman member of the House in utter disregard of the authority of the Chair, the House suspends them from for the remainder of the session.”

The row erupted during zero hour when the brutal torching of the Unnao rape victim was being discussed.

The trigger came when Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury took a swipe at the BJP saying “Sita is being burnt while a Ram Temple is being built in UP,” Chowdhury’s reference to the BJP-ruled UP as a “lawless state” provoked ruling party members who took offence and attacked the Congress leader even as opposition members demanded the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah in the House.

Meanwhile Irani rose to speak and counter attacked the Opposition saying the Unnao matter was being “communalised and polarised”.

Irani advocated death penalty for the Unnao accused and while she did so, Congress MPs Prathapan and Kuriakose stood in the aisle near the Well posturing aggressively to Irani.