Lok Sabha suspends Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Congress says action 'undemocratic'

New Delhi: Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was suspended from Lok Sabha on Thursday for "repeated misconduct" pending an investigation by the privileges committee.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi moved a resolution for Chowdhury's suspension, saying he disturbs the House whenever Prime Minister Narendra Modi and ministers speak or a debate is going on. The resolution was passed by a voice vote.

The Congress called the action against its floor leader as "unbelievable" and "undemocratic".

Congress whip in Lok Sabha Manickam Tagore said, "First time for speaking against Modi, largest opposition (party) leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury suspended. Unbelievable. Undemocratic. Condemn the autocracy." A Congress leader said it was perhaps the first time the leader of the principal opposition party has been suspended from Lok Sabha.

Speaking in the House, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Joshi said, "It has become habitual for him (Adhir) and it has become most unfortunate. He is the leader of the Congress party, which is the largest party in the opposition in this House. Despite repeated warnings he has not improved himself." "Always in his debate he makes these baseless charges, he tries to lower the dignity of the government. There are no facts in his arguments and he never apologises. Today also, we demanded that he apologise. He did the same thing when the home minister was speaking," Joshi said.

He then moved the resolution which stated that "this House, having taken note of the gross, deliberate and repeated misconduct of Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury in utter disregard of the House and authority of the chair, resolves that the matter of misconduct of Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury be further referred to the to Committee of Privileges of the house for further investigation and report to the House and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury be suspended from service of the House till the committee submits its report".

The opposition had earlier walked out of the House when the prime minister was replying to the debate on the no-confidence motion, complaining that there was no reference to Manipur in the first 90 minutes of his speech.

BJP MP Virendra Singh, who was also named by the Speaker for unruly behaviour, apologised to the chair.