Of 13 Lok Sabha MPs from Punjab, 7 suspended; all from INDIA bloc

A senior SAD leader said, “We can never go with the Congress and there is no doubt in that. But Sukhbir Badal was not in the House when the suspensions took place as he was busy in Punjab. Harsimrat was there, but she was not part of INDIA bloc protest.”

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Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal speaks in the Lok Sabha during the Winter session of Parliament, in New Delhi, Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023. (PTI Photo)

Of the 13 Lok Sabha MPs from Punjab, seven, all from INDIA bloc, have been suspended for disruption of proceedings of the House. AAP MP from Jalandhar Sushil Kumar Rinku and six Congress MPs from Punjab remain suspended. Six of the seven Congress MPs in the House who face suspension are Manish Tewari from Anandpur Sahib, Gurjeet Singh Aujla from Amritsar, Ravneet Singh Bittu from Ludhiana, Mohd Sadiq from Faridkot, Jasbir Singh Gill from Khadoor Sahib, Dr Amar Singh from Fatehgarh Sahib.

The lone exception is Congress’ Patiala MP Preneet Kaur. However, months earlier, the Congress had suspended her for “anti-party” activities. The reason: After her husband and former CM Amarinder Singh joined BJP, she continued to attend BJP’s meetings in Patiala.

Preneet was also among the six members of Lok Sabha ethics panel that had allegedly recommended disqualification of Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra. She had voted in favour of adoption of the report that had recommended her disqualification. She was also not part of the protest by INDIA bloc constituents in the Lok Sabha.

The five other MPs from Punjab who have steered clear of getting suspended are BJP MPs Sunny Deol and Som Parkash from Gurdaspur and Hoshiarpur, respectively; SAD MPs Harsimrat Badal and Sukhbir Badal, and SAD (Amritsar) leader and Sangrur MP Simranjit Singh Mann.

While making its stand clear on suspensions, SAD had stated that “it was against democracy” and the “Opposition should be made a part of Parliament proceedings”, the Akali Dal has also not backed the INDIA bloc. A senior SAD leader said, “We can never go with the Congress and there is no doubt in that. But Sukhbir Badal was not in the House when the suspensions took place as he was busy in Punjab. Harsimrat was there, but she was not part of INDIA bloc protest.”

Meanwhile, Harsimrat on Wednesday flagged the absence of a majority of Opposition members in the Lok Sabha on day the House was discussing three key proposed criminal laws, saying key bills should not be passed in such a manner.

She also referred to the youth of Punjab getting emotional and taking steps during the militancy period in the state, and said the two men who jumped inside the Lok Sabha chamber on December 13 raised the issue of their unemployment, Manipur and farmers. She also questioned why the Bandi Singhs, who are imprisoned since the mid-1980s, were not being released. Speaking on the Bills tabled in Lok Sabha to replace the Criminal Procedure Code and the Indian Penal Code, she questioned why these Sikhs were still being held captive when the government had promised in 2019 to free them.

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Simranjit Singh Mann on Wednesday said that it was “undemocratic” to debate Bills in the absence of Opposition. He said, “These Bills are unconstitutional and I propose these are taken up when the Opposition is also present.” He also suggested that the office of the national security advisor (NSA) be brought under the purview of Parliament.

He said these bills do not include the national security advisor, RAW director and IB director. “They are not responsible to Parliament and their secret services funds are not audited,” the MP said.

Kanchan Vasdev

Kanchan Vasdev is a Senior Assistant Editor in The Indian Express’ Punjab bureau. She is a highly experienced journalist with 22 years of expertise covering high-stakes politics, governance, and social issues in Northern India. Professional Background Role: Primary reporter covering the Punjab Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), government policies, and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leadership in the state. Experience: She previously worked with The Tribune and has played a key role in launching various city editions. Special Projects: Abandoned Brides: Authored a monograph on brides abandoned by NRIs as part of the Prabha Dutt Memorial Fellowship. Environment: Worked as a Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) fellow, focusing on the pollution levels in the Satluj river. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reporting focuses on the legislative strategies and political maneuvers of the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government: 1. Legislative & Governance Standoffs "Punjab govt advances special Assembly session to pass resolution against VB-G RAM G Bill" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on the state's move to block the Centre's "Viksit Bharat" mission, which the state claims will undermine MGNREGA. "Punjab govt doubles down on special sessions, sixth in January" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing the AAP government's use of special sessions as a legislative tool amid tensions with the Governor. "Punjab asks 'VIP teachers' working near Chandigarh to go back to border districts" (Dec 16, 2025): Reporting on CM Mann's move to end the practice of influential teachers avoiding postings in remote areas. 2. Political Analysis & Rural Polls "Punjab rural polls: Why Akalis are likened to dinosaurs in Punjab" (Dec 19, 2025): Analyzing CM Bhagwant Mann's rhetoric against the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) following local body elections. "AAP claims win in 78% Punjab zila parishads as counting continues" (Dec 18, 2025): Breaking down the results of the 2025 rural elections. "Rahul Gandhi and Sidhu alike, says Bhagwant Mann" (Dec 13, 2025): Covering the CM's critique of the Congress leadership. 3. Law Enforcement & Bureaucracy "Suspended Punjab IPS officer Ravjot Kaur Grewal awaits reinstatement" (Dec 10, 2025): Investigative reporting on the bureaucratic red tape involving the Election Commission and the state government. "Punjab declines to give parole to Amritpal Singh" (Nov 27, 2025): Detailing the state government's refusal to grant parole to the radical preacher and sitting MP. 4. Welfare & Economy "Punjab government's plan to add more freebies to 'atta-dal' scheme hits funds roadblock" (Dec 4, 2024): An analysis of the fiscal challenges facing the state's flagship food security program. "Mann leads Punjab delegation to Japan and South Korea for investor outreach" (Dec 2, 2025). Signature Beat Kanchan Vasdev is known for her insider access to Punjab's political executive. Her writing provides deep insights into how state policies are formulated and the friction points between the state government and central authorities. Her dual expertise in environment and law allows her to report on complex issues like the "Farmhouse Policy" (Dec 18, 2025) and river pollution with a unique policy-oriented lens. X (Twitter): @kanchan99 ... Read More

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