Congress MP Rajani Patil’s suspension from the Rajya Sabha for the remainder of the Budget session was as per the procedure evolved in 2016 when AAP leader Bhagwant Mann was found live-streaming Lok Sabha proceedings on social media, chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said on Friday. Mann was suspended for the entire session based on the recommendations of a committee that had BJP’s Kirit Somaiya and Congress’s KC Venugopal among others.
In her suspension, the Chair “has followed the procedure evolved with a similar event in the precincts of Parliament and Lok Sabha, involving the present chief minister of Punjab, Bhagwant Mann,” Dhankhar said.
Then AAP MP uploaded the video of his controversial drive-through on Facebook that detailed the security system in and around Parliament. The panel looking into the matter had unanimously recommended a ban from the winter session of Parliament in 2016 after Mann ruled out any apology and maintained he had done no wrong.
In the first instance, Mann was suspended from the proceedings of the Lok Sabha and the suspension was as per rule till a committee submitted its report. Upon consideration of the report of the committee, the suspension was extended for the entire session, Dhankhar said.
Patil was suspended for filming the proceedings of the House with clips making their way into the public domain and being “extensively used by a Twitter account. The decision was taken in view of the transgression of the directions given by the Chairman on July 28 last year,” Dhankhar said.
In his directions last year, then Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said, “Members, it was brought to my notice that some Members, in spite of clear instructions and warning, have tried to film the proceedings of the House and then give it to others. Such actions are totally prohibited. If anybody is found in possession of such things, he will be found guilty and action will be taken against him.”
