Trinamool Congress’ Derek O’Brien suspended from Rajya Sabha for ‘unruly behaviour’

Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’Brien has been suspended from the Rajya Sabha for “unruly behaviour” on Thursday morning as Parliament met amid tension over a major security breach in the Lok Sabha a day earlier.

O’Brien had demanded a discussion on the incident, in which two men jumped from the visitors’ gallery into the Lok Sabha and burst yellow smoke canisters. Rajya Sabha Chair Jagdeep Dhankhar directed that the TMC MP leave the House immediately.

“Derek O’Brien is named to leave the House immediately… Derek O’Brien says he will defy the Chair… Derek O’Brien says he will not respect the rules. This is serious misconduct. This is a shameful incident,” Dhankhar said, suspending the Trinamool leader for “unruly behaviour”.

Despite the warning from the Chair, the TMC MP and other opposition MPs continued to protest, and demanded that Union Home Minister Amit Shah be present in the House to answer questions about yesterday’s security breach.

Later, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned, but before that Dhankhar re-assured MPs a high-level investigation had been initiated into the security breach. He also informed that a police case had been filed and the accused booked under the anti-terror law.

Earlier, on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met senior ministers to discuss the breach. The Prime Minister was not in Parliament yesterday as he was attending swearing-in ceremonies of the ruling BJP’s two new chief ministers – Mohan Yadav in Madhya Pradesh and Vishnu Deo Sai in Chhattisgarh.

Six people were involved in the smoke scare inside and outside Parliament yesterday; two men set off smoke canisters in the Lok Sabha and a man and a woman did so outside. All four have been arrested, along with a husband and wife who sheltered them at their Gurgaon home.

The four inside have been identified as Sagar Sharma, D Manoranjan, Neelam Devi, and Amol Shinde, while the Gurgaon man has been name as Vicky Sharma. A sixth man is absconding.

The four who deployed smoke canisters have been charged under the stringent anti-terror law, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, besides sections in the Indian Penal Code. The six currently in custody, including the wife of Vicky Sharma, are being interrogated by Delhi Police’s anti-terror cell.