Speaker's decision to suspend Congress MPs should be welcomed: Meenakshi Lekhi

NEW DELHI: A BJP member of Lok Sabha today said the suspension of 25 Congress MPs should be welcomed by the House as the decision by the Speaker was as per the rule book and taken after exercising "utmost restraint".

Meenakshi Lekhi, a BJP member, said MPs were accountable to the people of India and they should work in accordance with the rule book of Parliament.

"It is high time to abide by the rule book. In the suspension (of Congress MPs), the Speaker has exercised utmost restraint," she said, adding, the action has been taken as per the rules.

"I want this House to welcome (this decision)," she said.

Referring to media reports that crores are being wasted due to frequent disruptions in House, Lekhi said, "I think this is not the way we should abide by the rule book."

MPs should not discuss and debate on the private TV channels rather they should use the House for discussion, she added.

Yesterday, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan suspended 25 Congress MPs for five days for disrupting smooth functioning of the House.

On changing the name of the few roads in capital city Delhi, Lekhi said she has taken up the issue with the NDMC.

Mahesh Giri, another BJP MP, demanded that the government should change the name of 'Aurangzeb Road' to 'Dr A P J Abdul Kalam' and make the announcement on August 15, the country's Independence Day. "Aurangzeb is symbol of cruelity...whatever mistake has happened in past, its right time to rectify this mistake," he said.

Another MP Anupriya Patel also demanded to change the names of roads such as Minto Road, Hailey Road and Chelmsford Road as these names "reflect colonial legacy."

These road should be renamed after freedom fighters of India, she added.

AIADMK MP P R Senthilnathan demanded from the central government to run a superfast express train from Delhi to Rameshwaram and the train should be named after the former President A P J Kalam. He also favoured that Kalam's birthday should be celebrated as youth day.

Uttarkhand MP Nishank Pokriyal demanded dismissal of the state government over the recent controversy involving Chief Minister Harish Rawat's personal secretary allegedly negotiating a bribery deal with a middleman for liquor licences. The Uttarakhand government has removed the official from the post.