Lok Sabha committee likely to recommend revocation of 3 Congress members’ suspension after they express regret

NEW DELHI: The privileges committee of the Lok Sabha is likely to recommend revoking the suspension of three Congress MPs after they expressed regret on Friday for their conduct during Parliament’s winter session, when they had barged up to the speaker’s podium amid protests by opposition members.

Congress members Abdul Khaleque, J Jayakumar and Vijaykumar Vasanth were suspended from the Lok Sabha during the winter session and the matter was referred to the privileges committee.

Sources said all three of them appeared before the committee headed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Sunil Kumar Singh on Friday and expressed regret for their behaviour.

”They admitted to their mistake and expressed regret. All members present in the meeting believed that the matter should end with them expressing regret. We will recommend to the House the revocation of their suspension,” a source said.

This will pave the way for the three Congress MPs to attend the budget session starting from January 31.

During the winter session, as many as 100 opposition members were suspended from the Lok Sabha for unruly behaviour. While the suspension of 97 of them was till the conclusion of the session, the fate of Khaleque, Jayakumar and Vasanth, who had reached the presiding officer’s chair, was handed to the committee due to the their more serious misconduct.

Another source said the committee is likely to submit its report to the speaker on Monday, paving the way for the revocation of the three Congress MPs.

During the winter session, the opposition launched protests in both Houses of Parliament, demanding a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah on the breach in Parliament security on December 13.

Source: Press Trust of India