Can review suspension, if 12 MPs apologise: Govt on suspension row

New Delhi, Nov 30: The government will consider revoking their suspension if the suspended Rajya Sabha MPs apologise to the Speaker and the House, said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi.

"In order to maintain the dignity of the House, the government was compulsorily forced to place this proposal of suspension before the House. But if these 12 MPs still apologize to the Speaker and the House for their misbehavior, then the government is also ready to consider their proposal positively with an open heart," Joshi tweeted.

The suspended MPs are -- six from the Congress, two each from Trinamool Congress and Shiv Sena, and one each from CPI and CPM. The motion to suspend Phulo Devi Netam, Chhaya Verma, Ripun Bora, Rajamani Patel, Syed Nasir Hussain and Akhilesh Prasad Singh of the Congress; Dola Sen, Shanta Chhetri of Trinamool Congress; Priyanka Chaturvedi, Anil Desai of Shiv Sena; Elamaram Kareem of CPM; and Binoy Viswam of CPI was moved by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi. It was passed by voice vote despite objections by opposition parties.

The motion was brought under rule 256 - which provides for suspending a member for "disregard" of the authority of the Chair or "abuse" of the rules of the Council by "persistently and willfully obstructing the business thereof."

However, leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday said there was no question of apologising after 12 Opposition MPs were suspended from Rajya Sabha on Monday. Kharge said the MPs were suspended against the rules of the House as the incident occurred during the last session.

Kharge is also holding a meeting of all opposition parties over the issue.