India’s opposition lawmakers protest their suspension from Parliament by the government

NEW DELHI (AP) — Dozens of opposition lawmakers suspended from Parliament by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government for obstructing proceedings held a street protest on Thursday accusing the government of throttling democracy in the country.

They briefly marched outside the Parliament building in New Delhi behind a huge “Save Democracy” banner and carried placards reading “Democracy is in danger.” The suspensions came as legislators were due to debate a contentious criminal reform bill.

More than 140 opposition lawmakers were suspended from the two houses of Parliament over the past week for demanding a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah about a Dec. 13 security breach when two intruders stormed the chamber by jumping from the visitors’ gallery and releasing yellow smoke canisters. They created panic among lawmakers and disrupted parliamentary proceedings.

One of the intruders jumped from seat to seat before he was overpowered by some lawmakers and security staff and was later arrested. The police have also arrested several of their accomplices outside Parliament. The intruders claimed that they wanted to highlight the government’s attention to rising unemployment in the country.

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The opposition lawmakers demanded a discussion in Parliament about the breach of security, but were accused of creating disorder.

Sharad Pawar, a top opposition leader, said the government’s action marked the highest-ever suspensions of lawmakers in a session of Parliament.

Mallikarjun Kharge, the Congress party president, said “If the prime minister and the home minister won’t speak in the parliament, then where will they speak?”

Government leaders asked the opposition members to wait for the findings of an inquiry set up to investigate the security breach. The opposition blocked the proceedings of Parliament for several days by raising anti-government slogans and carrying placards into the chamber.

The suspended members are now barred from entering Parliament’s chamber. The suspension will last until Friday when the current winter session of parliament ends.

The governing Hindu nationalist party government pushed on with legislative business despite the lawmakers’ suspensions, including passing three bills seeking to overhaul criminal laws.