New Delhi: Opposition leaders on Thursday came down heavily on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the suspension of the 15 opposition MPs from the Parliament for the remainder of the winter session.


Among the 15 MPs suspended, nine are from Congress, two from Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPM, two from Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), and one each from the Communist Party of India (CPI) and Trinamool Congress (TMC).


Amid demands from the opposition for a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the security breach in Lok Sabha, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi moved two resolutions on separate occasions for the suspension of the MPs.


Reacting to the suspension of MPs from the Parliament, Congress MP KC Venugopal alleged that the ruling party at the Centre wants to make India a "Banana Republic."


"This is a clear hypocritical attitude of this government. On one side, a very big breach of security happened in the Parliament and the person responsible for this is sitting in the House MP Pratap Simha, who had recommended allowing these people entry into the House. On the other hand, the MPs who are demanding a reply from the government have been suspended. It is now becoming a banana republic, these BJP people are making India a banana republic," he said.






CPI MP Binoy Viswam said that the BJP has no concern for Parliament as the party follows the footsteps of Hitler who burned the parliament building in Germany in the 1930s.


"It shows that the BJP has no concern for Parliament, no regard for democracy. We are not surprised to see this because they follow the footsteps of Hitler who burned the parliament building in Germany in the 1930s that is the ideology they follow," Viswam said.






On her suspension from Lok Sabha, DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi said, "There is an MP who has actually given the passes for these (accused of Parliament security breach) people to come in. No action has been taken against that MP. Whereas we saw what happened in Mahua's case. Without even the inquiry being complete, she has been disqualified and this MP is not even suspended. He's inside Parliament with us. And when we protested and we want the PM and the Home Minister to come and give a statement in the House, they're not prepared to do that. And when we protested, they are suspending all the opposition MPs. First suspended five, then they suspended nine people. So how is this democracy?"






Congress MP Abdul Khaleque said, "They didn't suspend the one who should they have, pass was issued by a BJP MP. We demanded that it should be condemned and the Home Minister should answer in the House, he should take moral responsibility...They won't be able to stifle the Opposition's voice by suspending them...Today's government is a failure. The Home Minister should take responsibility and resign...How can the country be secure if the Parliament isn't?..."






TMC leader Shashi Panja lashed out at the ruling party, saying asking questions in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha might lead to suspension, citing the examples of Mahua Moitra and Derek O'Brien.


“If you raise questions in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, you won’t get answers, instead, you’ll be suspended just like Mahua Moitra and Derek O’ Brien. Trinamool Congress will not back off, we’re fighting for our country… Have any steps been taken against BJP MP Pratap Simha for providing passes to these accused? Why isn’t he being suspended and questioned?... If someone has done a recce of the new Parliament premises and tried to pull off a stunt like this in the name of a prank, it should not be taken lightly,” she said.






DMK MP TR Baalu said, "They have not done anything wrong. They behaved within the rules and regulations of Parliament. They have not used any unparliamentary words. Their (suspension) is totally wrong."






Lok Sabha proceedings were interrupted on Thursday as the Opposition, led by Congress, created a ruckus and protested over the security lapse in which two persons -- Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D -- jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the visitors' gallery and released gas from canisters on Wednesday.


The duo were overpowered by the MPs and handed over to security personnel. On the other hand, two other persons -- Amol Shinde and Neelam Devi -- were caught while protesting and releasing coloured smoke on a road outside Parliament.