Cong slams govt over Adhir’s suspension from LS, Manish Tewari says ‘fit case for going to SC’

New Delhi, Aug 11 (PTI) The Congress on Friday hit out at the government over the suspension of the party’s leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, with Manish Tewari saying that “it is a fit case” for going to the Supreme Court.

Opposition leaders along with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi marched towards the BR Ambedkar’s statue in Parliament premises to protest the suspension.

“We are protesting near the Ambedkar statue because Constitution is being destroyed. The BJP government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi do not want to run Parliament as per rules,” Kharge said.

“For the first time, matter is being sent to privilege committee after suspending the member so that the member cannot participate in business advisory committee. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury heads the Public Accounts Committee and they want that he cannot participate. To keep him away he has been suspended in this manner,” Kharge alleged.

They want to “suppress” democracy and not work according to Constitution and that is why “we are protesting”, the Congress chief said.

In a tweet in Hindi, Kharge alleged that Chowdhury was suspended on “flimsy grounds”. This is a violation of Chowdhury’s democratic rights, he said.

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor also expressed concern over the suspension of Chowdhury, and said it was “deeply undemocratic” to deprive the principal leader of the principal opposition party of the right to participate in the House.

“He will not be able to chair the committee he heads, this we believe is completely wrong and unjustified and we demand that it be revoked,” Tharoor told PTI outside Parliament.

The problem is also that the procedure used is “weaponising the privileges committee and the privileges process in our country by actually demanding that the man remains suspended till such time that the privilege committee acts”, the MP from Thiruvananthapuram said.

“That is simply not fair because that means he cannot do any of his work in Parliament perhaps for an indefinite period, that would not be justified,” he asserted.

Asked about the suspension, Tewari said, “It is very unfortunate, it is a fit case to go to the Supreme Court.”

The Congress’ Whip in the Lok Sabha Manickam Tagore has written to Speaker Om Birla for moving a motion for the adjournment of business in the House to discuss the issue of the suspension.

Opposition parties of the INDIA alliance on Friday boycotted the proceedings of the Lok Sabha against the suspension of leader of Congress Chowdhury.

Chowdhury was suspended from Lok Sabha on Thursday for “repeated misconduct” pending an investigation by the privileges committee.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi moved a resolution for Chowdhury’s suspension, saying he disturbs the House whenever Prime Minister Modi and ministers speak or a debate is going on. The resolution was passed by a voice vote.

Asked about opposition demanding revocation of the suspension, Joshi said, “It is up to the Speaker to decide, I dont have anything to say on that.”