NEW DELHI: The Rajya Sabha on Monday cancelled and deleted four questions — one oral and three seeking written replies — posed during Question Hour by suspended Trinamool Congress MP Santanu Sen.
The questions were scheduled to be taken up on Monday, but showed up on the list as ‘cancelled and deleted’, ostensibly because Sen “was robbed of all entitlements”, including participating in the proceedings of the House, moving notices and asking questions, when he was placed under suspension last week for snatching papers from Union IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
While Rajya Sabha sources said this was done as per “convention and practise”, former Lok Sabha secretary general, PDT Achary referred to the move as unprecedented. He told TOI that while suspension of a member from the House limits his entry into the inner lobby and chambers of the House, it does not deprive him of his “basic rights” as a member, which includes the right to ask questions.