India's Ruling Party Accused of Strangling Opposition as 141 Lawmakers Suspended
India's democracy under threat as ruling BJP suspends 141 opposition lawmakers, escalating tensions with a new alliance determined to unseat them in the upcoming elections
Indias opposition lawmakers are alleging that the government has launched an assault on democracy after a large number of them were barred from parliament this week. This incident is the most recent development in a long-standing conflict between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and a newly established coalition aiming to overthrow them next year. According to CNN affiliate CNN News18, a total of 141 opposition lawmakers - 95 from the lower house and 46 from the upper chamber - have been suspended by the house speakers, marking a record, as stated by a rights group.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP has gained a majority in both houses and is anticipated to pass legislation without much opposition for the rest of the session, which concludes on Friday.
The suspensions occurred following a significant security breach in parliament last week, during which two men entered the chamber, chanting slogans and releasing colored gas. Opposition lawmakers called for a parliamentary debate on the breach, but were subsequently suspended by their house speakers for causing disorder.
"For the first time in my nearly 15 years of parliamentary career, I too entered the well of the House carrying a placard urging for a discussion on the recent security breach," stated Shashi Tharoor, a suspended member of the main opposition Congress party, on X, formerly Twitter. "I did so in solidarity with my (Congress) colleagues who have been unfairly suspended for demanding accountability from the government."
On Thursday, July 20, 2023, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the media in New Delhi before the start of Parliament's monsoon session. This image was captured by Prakash Singh/Bloomberg/Getty Images.
The opposition in India is coming together to remove Modi in the upcoming elections. Is he concerned? Jairam Ramesh, a Congress lawmaker, criticized the suspensions as a "complete purge." He argued that the removal of opposition lawmakers is designed to pass harsh bills without proper debate.
The New York-based Human Rights Foundation denounced India's continuous crackdown on opposition and critics, calling the suspensions a "record number" in a statement released on X. The majority of the suspended MPs are members of the opposition coalition known as INDIA, which aims to defeat Modi and the BJP in the upcoming general election in May.
Critics have repeatedly accused the BJP of suppressing opposition and subverting democracy in parliament, allegations that the party has consistently denied. CNN has contacted the BJP for a statement, and the party has stated that the lawmakers were suspended due to their behavior in parliament.
In an interview with a Hindi-language newspaper on Sunday, Modi said the security breach was a serious matter that should be investigated, but one that does not require a parliamentary debate.
