TMC leader Derek O’Brien suspended from Rajya Sabha for protest over Parliament security breach

New Delhi: On Thursday, Derek O’Brien, Trinamool Congress MP, was suspended from the Rajya Sabha for “unruly behaviour” after a face-off with the House Chairman amid the uproar over the Lok Sabha security breach incident.

On Thursday, an hour after the Rajya Sabha began proceedings, the opposition MPs trooped into the Well of the House, demanding a discussion on the Parliament security breach. Mr O’Brien had demanded a discussion on the incident, in which two men jumped from the visitors’ gallery into the Lok Sabha and burst yellow smoke canisters.

An apoplectic Rajya Sabha Chair Jagdeep Dhankhar named the Bengal politician and directed he leave the House immediately. The opposition MPs moved 28 notices seeking the suspension of business for the day to discuss the security breach.

Chairman Dhankhar disallowed the notices and Opposition MPs moved into the Well of the House. They shouted slogans and demanded Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s reply. Mr Dhankhar said, ejecting the Trinamool leader for “disorderly conduct”.”Derek O’Brien is named to leave the House immediately… Derek O’Brien says he will defy the Chair… Derek O’Brien says he will not respect the rules. This is a serious misconduct.

Despite the warning, Mr O’Brien and other opposition MPs continued to protest, and demanded that Union Home Minister Amit Shah be present in the House to answer for yesterday’s incident. At this point, the Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’Brien moved into the area in front of the Chair and flung his arms in the air.

This infuriated Dhankhar, who named O’Brien and said he should leave the House. A person named by the Chair has to withdraw from the proceedings for the day.Dhankhar called Derek O’Brien’s conduct a “defiance” of the Chair and “serious misconduct”.

Subsequently, the Upper House adopted a motion to suspend O’Brien for the remainder of the session. The Rajya Sabha was then adjourned, but before that Mr Dhankhar re-assured MPs a high-level investigation had been opened into the security breach, and that a police case had been filed.