TMC’s Derek O’Brien suspended for remainder of session, Rajya Sabha adjourned until noon

An MP named by the chair, as per rules, has to withdraw from the proceedings of the House for the day.

 New Delhi: TMC leader Derek O’Brien on Tuesday was suspended from the Rajya Sabha for the rest of the Monsoon session after he disobeyed Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar while trying to seek a discussion on the Manipur issue.

The TMC leader sought to speak under the pretext of raising a point of order and when the chairman asked him to point to the rule he was wanting to speak on, O’Brien said 267 — the rule under which the opposition has been seeking a discussion on the Manipur issue since the start of the Monsoon session on July 20.

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This infuriated the chairman, who said he is naming O’Brien.

The Leader of the House and Union Minister Piyush Goyal thereafter moved a motion for suspending the TMC leader for the rest of the Monsoon session.

No sooner had Goyal got up than TMC MPs rushed to the well, shouting slogans.

Dhankhar said O’Brien has been suspended for the remainder of the Monsoon session.

The Monsoon session of Parliament is to end on August 11.

An MP named by the chair, as per rules, has to withdraw from the proceedings of the House for the day.

The chair and O’Brien had a spat even during discussions on the Delhi services bill on Monday evening when Dhankhar accused Derek O’Brien of doing “theatrics” in the House to gain publicity during a heated debate on the Delhi services bill.

The chair then adjourned the session till noon.