TMC's Derek O'Brien suspended from RS for rest of winter session

Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Derek O’Brien was on Thursday (December 14) suspended from the Rajya Sabha for the remainder of the ongoing Winter Session for his "unruly behaviour" and "misconduct".amid Opposition members' demand for a discussion on the Parliament security breach.

Leader of the House Piyush Goyal moved the resolution for suspension of O’Brien for the remainder of the Winter Session. Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar put the resolution to a vote, citing O’Brien’s “ignoble misconduct”.

He was later suspended and the Opposition protested it raising slogans “tanashahi nahi chalegi” (dictatorship will not be allowed).

“Gross defiance to the directions imparted by the Chair was noticed when Derek O’Brien, despite being named, continued to be in the Well of the House. This cannot be countenanced. I name him again for violating the directions of the Chair,” said Dhankhar.

The House was adjourned till 2 PM.

Earlier, Rajya Sabha proceedings were on Thursday adjourned in the opening hour after Opposition MPs trooped into the Well of the House, demanding a discussion on the Parliament security breach.

Chairman Dhankhar disallowed as many as 28 notices served by Opposition MPs, who sought the suspension of business for the day to discuss the December 13 security breach.

The opposition MPs, however, pressed for a discussion and moved into the Well of the House. They shouted slogans and demanded Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s reply.

Dhankhar condemned the unruly behaviour of the MPs, saying it violated the rules.

At this point, TMC leader O’Brien moved into the area in front of the Chair and flung his arms in the air.

This infuriated Dhankhar, who named O'Brien and said he should leave the House. A person named by the Chair has to withdraw from the proceedings for the day.

Dhankhar called Derek O'Brien's conduct a "defiance" of the Chair and "serious misconduct".

As the slogan-shouting did not stop, Dhankhar adjourned the proceedings of the House till 12 noon.

Before adjourning, he called the floor leaders of the political parties for a meeting in his chamber.

In a major security breach on the anniversary of the 2001 Parliament terror attack on Wednesday, two persons – Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D – jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the public gallery during Zero Hour, released yellow gas from canisters and shouted slogans before being overpowered by some MPs.

Around the same time, two other accused – Amol Shinde and Neelam Devi – sprayed coloured gas from canisters while shouting "tanashahi nahi chalegi" outside Parliament premises.

Police said the four were part of six people who planned the incident.