'Democracy suspended...': Derek O’Brien on suspension of RS members

New Delhi, July 26: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) lashed out at the Narendra Modi government Tuesday over the suspension 19 Opposition members from Rajya Sabha, alleging Parliament has been turned into a "deep, dark chamber".

His remarks came soon after the Rajya Sabha members were suspended from the House for the remainder of Monsoon session on grounds of "unruly behaviour".

"Democracy has been suspended in India. Parliament has been turned into a deep, dark chamber," TMC leader Derek O'Brien told reporters here.

Among the suspended MPs, seven belong to the TMC and six to the DMK. The seven members of TMC are Sushmita Dev, Santanu Das, Mausam Noor, Shanta Chhetri, Dola Sen, Abir Ranjan Biswas and Nadimul Haque.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi is afraid of Parliament. I ask him to come and answer one question in Parliament," said O'Brien, the leader of the TMC in Rajya Sabha.

He said when Manmohan Singh was prime minister, he answered around 22 questions in Parliament, while "Mr Modi has answered none."

Accusing the government of undermining the sanctity of the Parliament, O'Brien said, referring to the PM, "If you are going to come to parliament every Thursday morning for half an hour, you are treating it as Gujarat Gymkhana."

He further said the TMC will continue to raise the issue of price rise in Parliament "till there is a bare bone discussion on it".