TMC MP Derek O'Brien suspended from Rajya Sabha for 'unruly' behaviour in the House

Trinamool (TMC) MP Derek O’Brien has been suspended from the Rajya Sabha for the rest of the monsoon session of the Parliament, House Chairman and Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar announced on Tuesday.

Derek has been suspended “for unruly behaviour unbecoming of a Member of Rajya Sabha.”

A motion for his suspension was moved by Leader of the House Piyush Goyal.

Goyal moved the motion for Derek’s suspension “for continuously disturbing the proceedings of the House, disobeying the Chair and continuously creating disturbance in the House.”

TMC MP in Rajya Sabha Derek O'Brien suspended for the remainder of the current Parliament session "for unruly behaviour unbecoming of a Member of Rajya Sabha."

Leader of the House Piyush Goyal moved a motion for his suspension "for continuously disturbing the proceedings of the… https://t.co/cWFJvhRmYt pic.twitter.com/o6sU758QiX

— ANI (@ANI) August 8, 2023

Amid a massive ruckus following the suspension order, Rajya Sabha was adjourned till 12 noon.

#UPDATE | Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar says, "This is too serious a matter for me to be overruled...After deep, immediate deliberation, I did not take the sense of the House earlier. If I had really fructified the process, Derek O'Brien would have been out of the House.… pic.twitter.com/jesTedsP99

— ANI (@ANI) August 8, 2023

Derek’s suspension comes days after Dhankhar and the TMC MP had a heated argument in the Rajya Sabha.

On Monday, during a heated debate on the Delhi services bill, Dhankar accused Derek of making “engaging in theatrics” a habit in the House to gain publicity. The TMC MP strongly objected, saying he was quoting the rules of the House and demanding a serious discussion on Manipur.

“This has become your habit. You are doing this as part of a strategy. You think you will enjoy publicity outside. You ravaged this House. Sit down,” Dhankar told Derek.

The Rajya Sabha Chairman’s outburst came after the TMC leader refused to confine his speech to the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and unleashed a litany of allegations against the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre.

Rajya Sabha MP Mahesh Jethmalani said, “He (Derek) had been inviting such action. I think he was already warned four times but he didn’t relent.”

#WATCH | On the suspension of TMC MP Derek O'Brien for the remainder of the current Parliament session, Rajya Sabha MP Mahesh Jethmalani says, "He had been inviting such action. I think he was already warned four times but he didn't relent. So, I think Chairman had no other… pic.twitter.com/zjQDkkgjFb

— ANI (@ANI) August 8, 2023

“So, I think Chairman had no other option,” Jethmalani added.

With inputs from agencies