Maybe it's time for another dharna: Derek O'Brien on suspension of oppn MPs

With 23 opposition MPs suspended from Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha in two days, TMC lawmaker Derek O'Brien on Tuesday said maybe it is time for another long day-night dharna.

Earlier in the day, 19 MPs were suspended from Rajya Sabha till Friday for disrupting the proceedings of the House.

Seven of the suspended MPs belonged to the Trinamool Congress (TMC), six were from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), three from the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), two from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and one from the Communist Party of India (CPI).

On Monday, four Congress MPs were suspended from Lok Sabha for the rest of the session after Speaker Om Birla took a stern view of the continuous disruptions by opposition lawmakers since the beginning of the monsoon session.

In a tweet, O'Brien recalled the suspension of opposition MPs from Rajya Sabha in September 2020 for protesting against the three farm bills.

"Now 23 MPs are suspended for wanting to raise #PriceRise #GST

"Maybe it's time for ANOTHER LONG DAY-NIGHT DHARNA IN FRONT OF THE GANDHI STATUE. What say India?" he asked.

In September 2020, eight opposition MPs were suspended from Rajya Sabha following a protest against the way the farm bills were passed in the House. They held an overnight dharna in the lawns near the Gandhi statue in Parliament against their suspension.

They ended their protest after the Opposition decided to boycott the remaining session in the Upper House.