Lok Sabha panel revokes suspension on Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury

In a relief for Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, the privilege committee of Lok Sabha on Wednesday revoked his suspension from the lower house.

The committee has adopted a resolution recommending revocation of suspension after the Congress Lok Sabha MP appeared before it earlier on Wednesday.

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury expressed regret to the committee over certain remarks made by him in the Lok Sabha which had led to his suspension from the House on the last day of the Parliament’s monsoon session on 11 August.

“The Committee has adopted a resolution to revoke the suspension of Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury from the Lok Sabha. The resolution will be sent to the Speaker as soon as possible,” a committee member said.

Chowdhury was suspended for his alleged ‘unruly’ behaviour during the debate on the no-confident motion on Manipur violence.

The Congress MP compared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fugitive billionaire Nirav Modi and Dhritarashtra.

Following his suspension, Chowdhury had told the media that he had no intention to insult PM Modi. “I didn’t mean to offend anyone. I have not said anything wrong” the Congress MP had said.

“Modi ji is sitting ‘nirav’ on Manipur issue, which means sitting silent. ‘Nirav’ means to be silent. My intention was not to insult PM Modi,” Chowdhury said.

“PM Modi did not feel that he was insulted, his darbaris (courtiers) felt so and brought this proposal against me. I came to know that (the matter) has been referred to the privileges committee and I have been suspended till then,” the Congress MP had said.

On Wednesday, Chowdhury is learnt to have told the Committee, chaired by BJP member Sunil Kumar Singh, that it was never his intention to hurt anybody’s feelings and expressed regret for certain remarks made by him.

“The Committee has adopted a resolution to revoke the suspension of Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury from the Lok Sabha. The resolution will be sent to the Speaker as soon as possible,” a committee member said.

At the meeting of the Committee on 18 August, several members were of the view that Chowdhury has been punished for his conduct by Lok Sabha and there was no further need to examine his behaviour by a parliamentary panel.

However, as a process of natural justice, the Committee had asked Chowdhury to appear before it on Wednesday.

With inputs from agencies