Derek O'Brien Gets Pat On Back From KC Venugopal During 'Silent Protest' Over Rajya Sabha Suspension: VIDEO

A video has surfaced which shows Congress leader KC Venugopal patting Derek O’Brien on the back while the latter staged a silent protest in the Parliament premises.

Suspended TMC MP Derek O'Brien with Congress MP KC Venugopal during the former's silent protest outside the Parliament.

Source : PTI

New Delhi: Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien, who was suspended for the remainder of the Winter Session, held a silent protest in the Parliament premises on Thursday. The House adopted a motion suspending the TMC leader and later Leader of House Piyush Goyal moved a resolution under Rule 192 to refer the issue to the Committee of Privileges of the Rajya Sabha.

Coming out in support of the suspended members, Congress leader KC Venugopal said the only demand of the Opposition is that Union Home Minister Amit Shah should issue a statement over the security breach in the Parliament on Wednesday.

A video posted by news agency PTI shows the senior Congress leader patting Derek O’Brien on the back while the latter staged the silent protest in the Parliament premises.

VIDEO | TMC MP Derek O' Brien, suspended from the Rajya Sabha for the remaining Winter Session earlier today, holds 'silent protest' in the Parliament premises. pic.twitter.com/n5zkWX0Vt5

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 14, 2023

“Our only demand is that the government should explain what happened in the Parliament (referring to security breach) yesterday. Home Minister Amit Shah has to come and explain and he has to take responsibility on this,” PTI quoted Venugopal as saying.

Coming down heavily on the government, the Congress leader further said that it “hypocritical” that the BJP leader, under whose name the visitors’ pass was issued, continues to attend the House proceedings, while the Opposition members demanding an explanation on the security breach are suspended.

“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, MP Pratap Simha, who had recommended allowing these people entry into the House, is sitting in the House. On the other hand, the members who are demanding a reply from the government have been suspended. The country is now becoming a banana republic. The BJP is making India a banana republic,” news agency ANI quoted Venugopal as saying.

#WATCH | On suspension of 15 MPs from the Parliament, Congress MP KC Venugopal says, "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… pic.twitter.com/kQ2iLp6Jmw

— ANI (@ANI) December 14, 2023

The Lok Sabha proceedings were interrupted on Thursday as the Opposition members created a ruckus over the security breach issue.