In an unprecedented move, 78 MPs, all from the Opposition, were suspended from Parliament on Monday for protesting in the Well of House. The Opposition MPs were demanding a statement and clarification from Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the December 13 incident of security breach.

Today’s suspension of MPs have taken the total number of Opposition MPs suspended for demanding Shah’s statement in the House to 92.

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Last week, 14 Opposition MPs were suspended from the Parliament for raising the same demand. Except for 14, all of these MPs have been suspended for the rest of the Winter Session.

In Lok Sabha, while 30 MPs have been suspended for the rest of the session, three have suspended till the privileges committee submits its report on their conduct.

The suspended Lok Sabha MPs included Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Congress party’s leader in the Lower House and his deputy Gaurav Gogoi.

In Rajya Sabha, 35 Opposition MPs have been suspended for the remainder of the Winter Session, while 11 have been suspended till the privileges committee report comes out.

The suspended Rajya Sabha MPs included Congress’s Jairam Ramesh and Randeep Singh Surjewala, DMK’s Kanimozhi and RJD’s Manoj Kumar Jha.

Speaking to reporters outside the Parliament after the suspension of MPs, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said the Narendra Modi government has reached the apex of dictatorship and treating the Parliament as BJP headquarters.

“This government has reached the apex of dictatorship. They have the majority, and they are wielding the stick of power. They want to run Parliament like a party office. But that cannot happen. We were eager for a discussion. The productivity of Parliament before December 13 is for all to see. It seems they find it easier to talk to the media, but are scared to speak in Parliament,” he said.

In a major security breach in Parliament, two men jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the visitors’ gallery and fired smoke pistols. The intruders reportedly wanted to draw government’s attention towards the issues of unemployment and injustice. They also raised slogans against the dictatorship.

The breach coincided with the anniversary of 2001 attack and put a serious question mark on Parliament’s security. Moreover, the intruders were given entry on passes issued on behalf of BJP’s Mysore MP Pratap Simha.