New Delhi:
The seven suspended members, who were marshalled out of the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, remained unapologetic about their unruly behaviour on women's bill and said the action against them shows the arrival of "unannounced emergency" in the country.
A few of them even went to the extent of saying that they would consider resigning from the House.
"The incident rings a danger bell for democracy. This is complete dictatorship. Now the government can pass any bill in both Houses by marshalling out dissenting members," Ejaz Ali, an unattached member of the Upper House, told reporters after being removed from the RS.
SP member Veerpal Singh Yadav alleged that the incident of marshalling out shows that the government has imposed "unannounced emergency" in the country.
"It was the same Congress, which had imposed emergency in 1975 and it is again coming back to its old pattern. Congress leaders are behaving in a similar way as they used to during emergency."
Subhash Prasad Yadav (RJD) alleged that 100 marshals were used to "throw out" the seven members and vowed, "We would teach them (Congress) a lesson in coming elections."
"There is no point in remaining in this House. We may resign after taking to our leader," Yadav added.
Kamal Akhtar (SP) termed the incident as "murder of democracy" and accused BJP and Congress of depriving the majority of women in the country with reservation benefits by supporting the bill in its present form.
Asked whether he tried to injure himself with a broken glass in the House, Akhtar said he had earlier said the bill would be passed only after his death, adding, "had they not stopped me."
Akhtar maintained that the bill will be vociferously opposed even in Lok Sabha, whenever it comes up there.
Another party MP Nandkishore Yadav justified their protest and said that they would take it to the streets now.
He said both the BJP and Congress are "anti-minority and anti-Dalit".
Aamir Alam Khan from the same party said that Congress will have to pay a price for "strangulating democracy" and said the incident will be remembered as a "black day" in India's Parliamentary history.
SP's Veerpal Yadav alleged that the marshalls dragged them out of the House leading to injuries on their hands and legs.