Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday blamed the government for the disruptions in the functioning of the Upper House. Kharge said that the responsibility for the ruckus in the Rajya Sabha over suspension of 12 Opposition MPs lay with the government.

Soon after proceedings began on Tuesday, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned till 11 am on Wednesday, after Opposition parties demanded that the suspension of the 12 MPs be revoked.

The MPs were suspended on November 29 for their allegedly unruly and violent conduct during the Monsoon Session in August. The session was marked by disruptions in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha because of the Pegasus spyware row and the farm laws.

The suspended MPs are Elamaram Kareem of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Congress’ Phulo Devi Netam, Chhaya Verma, R Bora, Rajamani Patel, Syed Nasir Hussain and Akhilesh Prasad Singh, Communist Party of India’s Binoy Viswam, Trinamool Congress’ Dola Sen and Shanta Chhetri, and Shiv Sena’s Priyanka Chaturvedi and Anil Desai.

Kharge told reporters on Tuesday that the Opposition had tried a lot to facilitate the functioning of the Rajya Sabha.

“...We met leader of the House and Chairman repeatedly to put forth our views that MPs can be suspended only as per Rule 256,” he said.

According to Rule 256 of the Rajya Sabha Rules of Procedure, the chairperson of the House can suspend a member for unruly behaviour after naming him or her, and introducing a motion to do so.

Kharge said that the MPs had been suspended for events that took place during the Monsoon Session. He claimed that according to the rule, the chairperson should have named each person separately and informed them why action had been taken against them.

The Congress leader said that this procedure should have taken place during the Monsoon Session itself, PTI reported.

“It seems the government’s intention is clear of not allowing the House to function,” Kharge said. “Till the time their suspension is revoked, our fight will continue.”