The Lok Sabha on Wednesday suspended Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee for the remainder of the Monsoon session over allegations that he used "unsavoury" language against women MPs during a heated exchange with members of the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) in the House chamber.
The Monsoon session is scheduled to conclude on August 13.
When the House reassembled at 2 pm after its second adjournment of the day, Krishna Prasad Tenneti, who was presiding over the proceedings, referred to a complaint submitted to Speaker Om Birla by several members. He said Banerjee's remarks had hurt the dignity of the House.
Tenneti then asked Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal to move a resolution seeking Banerjee's suspension. The resolution was adopted by a voice vote amid Opposition sloganeering over the NEET paper leak and other issues. Following its adoption, Tenneti directed Banerjee to leave the House precincts.
Amid continued protests by Opposition members, the House was adjourned for the day.
Earlier, Banerjee was involved in a heated exchange with some of his former party colleagues, now NCPI MPs, in the Lok Sabha chamber after the House was adjourned following Opposition protests.
The NCPI members involved in the exchange included Mitali Bagh, Shatabdi Roy and Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar.
It was not immediately clear what triggered the altercation.
Several Opposition MPs intervened in an attempt to defuse the situation. After being asked by some Opposition members what had transpired, Banerjee left the chamber.
Bagh, Dastidar and several other NCPI MPs later met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in his chamber, apparently to raise the issue.
Around 20 TMC MPs broke away from the party following its defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections and joined the NCPI. They have since been seated separately from TMC MPs in the Lok Sabha and have pledged support to the ruling NDA and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
(With inputs PTI)
