Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan warned BJP MP Anurag Thakur for filming the Lok Sabha’s proceedings on his phone on Wednesday. Opposition members protested and demanded the suspension of ruling party MP for his actions like the suspension of the Congress members, who were barred from the House for indiscipline.
The Congress had on Monday filed a complaint against BJP MP Anurag Thakur for what the opposition party said was “filming Lok Sabha proceedings”. On Monday, six Congress MPs – Gaurav Gogoi, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Ranjit Ranjan, Sushmita Dev, M.K. Raghavan and K. Suresh were suspended for five sittings of the House after they tore and threw papers in the House as well as towards the Speaker’s podium.
Thakur was, however, let off with a warning which irked the opposition members, who were already standing near the Speaker’s podium in the Lower House. They raised anti-government slogans and demanded that the suspension of their members be revoked. “I don’t know what was happening. I always point out if a member is committing a mistake…,” Mahajan said referring to the complaint.
“Making video on a mobile phone inside the House is indiscipline. If Anurag Thakur was doing that then he should apologise and give an explanation,” she said. Opposition members, however immediately raised pitch demanding his suspension.
Thakur then, on his part, blamed the opposition of “indecent behaviour” due to which he could not raise the Bofors issue for which he had given a notice. He, however, expressed regret and said it was not his intention to hurt anyone.
“We were also in opposition but we never did something like this. If someone has problem with my phone I regret that… I did not intend to hurt anyone… The proceedings are live anyhow,” he said. Speaker Mahajan gave Thakur a warning and said the mistake should not be repeated.
Opposition members were unhappy about the ruling party MP being let off with a warning, and started raising slogans in protest. Following which the House was adjourned for 15 minutes. In 2016, Aam Aadmi Party MP Bhagwant Mann was suspended from the Lok Sabha during the winter session after he posted online a recording of entering the Parliament complex.
