TMC MP Shantanu Sen Suspended From Rajya Sabha For Snatching Papers From IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw

Opposition MPs, including TMC, raised questions about the suspension of Shantanu Sen and said that the MP should have been given an opportunity to apologise.

New Delhi: Trinamool Congress (TMC) member Shantanu Sen on Friday was suspended for the entire Monsoon Session of Rajya Sabha due to his unruly conduct of snatching papers from the IT Minister. Shantanu Sen on Thursday snatched from the hands of IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnav a copy of his statement on the Pegasus espionage case and tore it to the Chairman's chair.

Against this conduct of Shantanu Sen, a resolution was moved by the Parliamentary Minister in the Rajya Sabha, which was passed and only after that the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Venkaiah Naidu, suspended the TMC MP from the rest of the sessions.

When the Rajya Sabha proceedings started today, Chairman Venkaiah Naidu, referring to the incident that happened on Thursday, called it indecent. Chairman Venkaiah Naidu said that what happened yesterday definitely affected the dignity of the House. 

During the proceedings of the House on Thursday, when Information Technology and Communications Minister Ashwini Vaishnav was giving a statement on the Pegasus espionage issue, during that time Shantanu Sen snatched the copy of his statement from his hand and threw its pieces towards the chairman's chair. 

However, after the suspension order, some opposition MPs, including TMC, raised questions about the suspension action, saying that Shantanu Sen should have been given an opportunity of apology. Along with this, TMC MPs accused BJP MPs and Union Minister Hardik Puri of using objectionable language with Shantanu Sen.

On which the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha said that he was not a part of the proceedings of the House, so no information has come to him about this. But the way Shantanu Sen behaved indecently was objectionable and because of this action is being taken.

Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu ordered the suspension of Shantanu Sen at around 11:20 AM but even after that he remained present in the House for the next several hours.

The Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha repeatedly appealed to Shantanu Sen to leave the house, but he remained sitting in the house for a long time. Due to this, there was a ruckus of the opposition parties and the proceedings of the house were also adjourned.