No link between suspension of 14 MPs, Parliament security breach: Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Saturday said in a letter to all Members of Parliament (MPs) over the security lapse in Parliament on December 13 that it is unfortunate that some MPs were "linking the decision of the House to suspend some members" to the Parliament security breach incident which occurred on December 13. 

As many as 14 MPs from the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha MPs were suspended on December 14 for "unruly conduct" in Parliament. Manickam Tagore, Kanimozhi, VK Sreekandan, Mohammed Jawes, Benny Bahanan, K Subramanyam, PR Natrajan and S Venkatesan were among the MPs suspended from the Lok Sabha.

Trinamool Congress' (TMC) Derek O'Brien was the only MP who was suspended from the Rajya Sabha. Among those suspended, 9 MPs are from Congress, 2 from CPM, 1 each from DMK, the CPI and TMC. "The suspension of the members is purely to uphold the sanctity of the House," Birla said in his letter to the MPs. 

The MPs on Thursday were suspended for the remainder of the session for disrupting proceedings as Parliament witnessed chaotic scenes over Wednesday's security breach incident.

"At the time of the inauguration of the new building of our Parliament, we had resolved that we will refrain from bringing placards inside the House; we will not create ruckus in the well of the House," Om Birla said. 

The Lok Sabha speaker also said in his letter that citizens do not appreciate inappropriate conduct and interruptions during Parliamentary proceedings.

"We are well aware that the people of our country do not appreciate the inappropriate conduct and interruptions during the proceedings of the House. That is the reason we are unanimous that we would establish highest standards of parliamentary decorum and dignity," he noted. 

He added that he was "compelled to take strict action of suspending members." 

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