New Delhi, August 23
After 12 wasted sittings, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar eventually suspended 12 anti-Telangana MPs on Friday for causing grave disruption of House proceedings and thereby stalling crucial legislative business. Eight Congress and four TDP MPs were asked to remove themselves from the House for five consecutive sittings.

Among those suspended are Konkalla Narayana Rao, Nimmala Kistappa, Niramalli Siva Prasad and Modugula Venugopala Reddy of the TDP and Sai Pratap, Anantha Venkataramani Reddy, L. Raja Gopal, Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy, A. Aruna Kumar, GV Harsha Kumar, Bapi Raju Kanumuru and Sabbam Hari of the Congress.

These MPs had been protesting against the Congress decision to form the Telangana state since August 5 when the monsoon session commenced. Resultantly, major Bills could not be taken up. Even today, 10 Bills, including food security and land acquisition, were listed but not discussed.

Even after suspension around 12.45 pm, TDP members refused to vacate the Lok Sabha and sat inside in protest till 4.45 pm before being forcibly removed. Unrelenting, they warned of intensified agitation upon return with N Siva Prasad saying, “We are with Andhra people in seeking a united state. Our voices can’t be muzzled by suspensions.”

Today’s developments followed an all-party meeting chaired by the Speaker where the Opposition refused to back the government motion for the MPs’ suspension moved by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath yesterday. After two early adjournments of the Lok Sabha this morning, Nath said he would not press for the motion.

The Speaker then exercised her powers under Rule 374 (A) (1) of LS Procedures to suspend the disruptive MPs. “You may forthwith remove yourself from the precincts of the House,” she said after the government technically withdrew its motion in a rare and embarrassing occurrence.

Sources said BJP’s Sushma Swaraj, JD(U)’s Sharad Yadav, RJD’s Lalu Prasad and leaders of the SP and the BSP said in today’s meeting that they would not walk out if the Speaker suspended the MPs. Though the government is learnt to have pressed for an all party consensus on the Speaker’s decision of suspension, the BJD, AIADMK, TMC and DMK refused to support the move saying they could not become a party to such removal and the Speaker could decide herself.

Earlier, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien also adjourned the House for the day anguished over two TDP members protesting against Andhra’s division.