UP Cong protests against party MPs suspension

LUCKNOW: Coordinating their show of dissent against the BJP government with their colleagues in New Delhi, UP Congress functionaries on Tuesday staged a demonstration in Hazratganj against the suspension of 25 Congress MPs from Parliament.
Led by UP Congress Committee president Nirmal Khatri, the protest was held outside the BJP state office. Congress MLA and AICC spokesperson Rita Bahuguna Joshi also participated in the protest.She termed the Speaker’s decision to suspend parliamentarians a “black day” in democracy.
Party functionaries also clashed with police after it tried to stop them from marching towards the BJP office. The party workers, who wore small posters with 25 marked in black, demanded that the MPs’ suspension be revoked. UPCC chief Khatri alleged the Speaker’s decision was taken at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Congress spokesperson Virendra Madan also called it an “undemocratic” step. Holding the protest march with placards, the Congress contingent moved from the GPO park to the BJP state office where they raised slogans against the PM and the NDA government.
Reacting on the protest, BJP alleged Congress was only “venting out its frustration” through theatrics and said the Speaker's decision should be respected by legislators of all parties.