Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) chairperson Sonia Gandhi has called a meeting of all the party MPs on Friday morning to discuss the suspension of the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.
According to the sources, the meeting is scheduled to be held at the party’s parliamentary office at 10.30 am on Friday, ANI reported.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Thursday moved a resolution for Chowdhury’s suspension after certain remarks by the Congress leader on the prime minister during the no-confidence motion debate triggered outrage from the treasury benches. The resolution was passed by a voice vote.
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Speaking in the House, Pralhad Joshi said, “It has become habitual for him (Adhir) and it has become most unfortunate. He is the leader of the Congress party, which is the largest party in the opposition in this House. Despite repeated warnings, he has not improved himself.”
Chowdhury later defended his remarks saying he had not insulted PM Modi.
“Modi ji is sitting ‘nirav’ on Manipur issue, which means sitting silent. ‘Nirav’ means to be silent. My intention was not to insult PM Modi,” the Congress leader in Lok Sabha said.
“PM Modi did not feel that he was insulted, his darbaris (courtiers) felt so and brought this proposal against me. I came to know that (the matter) has been referred to the privileges committee and I have been suspended till then,” he said.
Congress whip in Lok Sabha Manickam Tagore said, “First time for speaking against Modi, largest opposition (party) leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury suspended. Unbelievable. Undemocratic. Condemn the autocracy.”
Congress MP Manish Tewari called the suspension “unfortunate” and an “utter violation of Article 105 (1) of the Constitution of India”.
“It has profound implications for democracy & freedom speech in Parliament & the legislatures,” he wrote on X.
