Rajya Sabha deputy chairman PJ Kurien threatens to suspend protesting TDP MPs for a day

NEW DELHI: Upset over frequent disruptions caused by two TDP MPs, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman P J Kurien on Friday threatened to suspend them for a day "for holding the House to ransom" but could not do so as members of AIADMK and TMC opposed it.

Kurien issued the warning at around 2.30 p.m. when coal minister Shriprakash Jaiswal was to give clarifications on the missing files of the coal block allocation.

The two MPs Y S Chaudhary and C M Ramesh, were in the Well and chanting slogans against the decision to form Telangana.

Kurien pleaded with them to allow the House to function but the members were unrelenting.

Amid din, Kurien threatened to take action under Rule 255 under which "the Chairman may direct any member whose conduct is in his opinion grossly disorderly to withdraw immediately from the Council and any member so ordered to withdraw shall do so forthwith and shall absent himself during the remainder of the day's meeting."

During Zero Hour also, Kurien had said, "I can throw you out also. Do you want me to do that?"

Opposition members V Maitreyan (AIADMK) and Derek O'Brien (TMC) opposed any action against them prompting to Chair to say, "You want clarification on the coal issue and the Prime Minister is here. You want the discussion but do not want me to take any action against them. This is double standards."

With his repeated threats and appeals failing to yield any result, he said, "the Chair is helpless." He then adjourned the House for 30 minutes.