Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury suspended from Lok Sabha until privileges panel decides

Chowdhury, who had walked out of the House with his party members when Modi was speaking, later said he had said nothing wrong against the Prime Minister and called his suspension the “tyranny of the majority.”

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the suspension of Chowdhury was “undemocratic” and “unfortunate”. It “reflects the arrogance of power and malice. This tradition will prove fatal for both the Constitution and parliamentary democracy. We strongly condemn it,” he said.

Earlier, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Joshi said, “In spite of repeated requests and repeated warnings from the Chair, he (Chowdhury) has not improved himself, and in his debates he always makes baseless charges. He tries to tarnish the image of the country and the government. There is no basis. And (he) doesn’t apologise. Today also, we demanded that he apologise. He did the same thing when the Home Minister was speaking yesterday.”

Joshi then moved a resolution that stated: “This House, having taken serious note of the gross, deliberate and repeated misconduct of Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury in utter disregard of the House and the authority of the Chair, resolves that the matter of the misconduct of Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury be referred to the to Committee of Privileges of the House for further investigation and report to the House and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury be suspended from service of the House till the committee submits its report.”

The resolution was passed by a voice vote.

Chowdhury’s remarks in the House were removed from the records.

Outside the House, he said he had been suspended for his political attack against the Prime Minister.

“If they prove that I committed a mistake, I am ready to leave my political life. We use metaphorical language in the House all the time. Haven’t members said Nero played the fiddle while Manipur burned? Everybody said. It is a metaphorical usage. Our language is loaded with these kinds of skilful utterances, metaphorical utterances,” he said.

“What did I say? I said a king should not be blind like Dhritarashtra to what is happening against women, whether it is in Hastinapur or Manipur… I did not abuse Modi. It is a metaphorical way of depicting the situation,” Chowdhury said.

“Then I said though (fugitive diamantaire) Nirav Modi has fled the country, there is a Nirav Modi. Nirav means one who is quiet. So I told the PM that you talk about the cheetahs in Kuno but you are quiet on Manipur… If I said anything wrong, I am ready to leave public life… it (suspension) is the tyranny of the majority,” he said..

Manickam Tagore, Congress whip in Lok Sabha, said, “First time for speaking against Modi, largest opposition (party) leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury suspended. Unbelievable. Undemocratic. Condemn the autocracy.”