After RS Deputy Chairman's Fast, Sharad Pawar Says Won't Eat for a Day in Support of Suspended MPs

Veteran Maharashtra leader and NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Tuesday announced a one-day fast in support of opposition MPs who are protesting against the agriculture bills as well as the suspension of eight colleagues,

The move comes after the Congress and other opposition parties decided to boycott the Rajya Sabha for the rest of the session unless the suspension is revoked. It also follows the announcement of a fast by Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha Harivansh, who said he was pained by the behaviour of opposition MPs.

“I will not eat anything today in solidarity with the protesting members,” Sharad Pawar, a Rajya Sabha member of the NCP, said.

The suspension of eight MPs, including TMC leader Derek O’Brien and Sanjay Singh of AAP, for the remaining part of the Monsoon Session over their “unruly behaviour” during the passage of farm bills had prompted the leaders to go on an indefinite sit-in inside Parliament complex.

A motion for the suspension of the eight leaders — Rajeev Satav, Syed Nasir Hussain and Ripun Bora (all Congress), Dola Sen and O’Brien (TMC), KK Ragesh and Elamaram Kareen (both CPM), and Singh, was moved by the government and approved by a voice vote in the House.

This came after Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu rejected a notice for a no-confidence motion against Deputy Chairman Harivansh as it was not in proper format and did not give a 14-day notice period. Opposition members, objecting to the manner in which the two farm bills were being passed, had on Sunday stormed the well of the House and when their demand for voting wasn’t met, they tore papers, climbed on tables, shouted slogans, and allegedly threw the rule book at Harivansh, who was presiding at that time.

Condemning their behaviour, Naidu said Harivansh had later informed him that he was “abused with objectionable words” and “would have been harmed also”. Opposition parties hit out at the government over the suspension of the eight Rajya Sabha MPs and sat in for an “indefinite” protest on Parliament premises against the move.

The proceedings of Rajya Sabha were almost washed out on Monday as it could not take up any legislative business. Earlier in the day, some members managed to raise issues during Zero Hour. The House witnessed five adjournments as some opposition members continued protests over suspension of members. As soon as the House resumed at 12pm, Bhubaneswar Kalita, who was in the chair, asked the suspended members to leave the House and urged members to maintain decorum.

However, the opposition members refused to budge forcing the Chair to adjourn the House for the day. Earlier in the day, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu termed the behaviour of members during the passage of the bills on Sunday as “very unfortunate, unacceptable and condemnable” and one that has “tarnished” the image of Parliament, particularly the House of Elders.