The opposition has called a halt to its protests against the suspension of 12 MPs
On the solidarity of CDS and others who lost their lives in the crash, we have called off the protest today
In a show of respect for the unfortunate death of General Bipin Rawat, Chief of Defence Staff, in a helicopter crash on Thursday, the opposition called off their rallies over the suspension of 12 Rajya Sabha MPs. "We have decided not to protest today in honour of CDS Bipin Rawat and the soldiers who died in the chopper crash and to pay tribute to them," said the leader of opposition Mallikaarjun Kharge.
Priyanka Chaturvedi, Shiv Sena MP, also said, "On the solidarity of CDS and others who lost their lives in the crash, we have called off the protest today."
Several opposition MPs have protested the suspension of 12 members of parliament. The house suspended them on the first day of the winter session for suspected rowdy behaviour near the end of the monsoon session in August. Since the proceedings began on November 29, the upper house of Parliament has been subjected to frequent disruption and adjournments due to ongoing protests.
Phulo Devi Netam, Chhaya Verma, Ripun Bora, Rajamani Patel, Syed Nasir Hussain, and Akhilesh Prasad Singh are among the six Congress members who have been suspended. Two from the Trinamool Congress (Dola Sen and Shanta Chhetri), two from the Shiv Sena (Priyanka Chaturvedi and Anil Desai), and one each from the CPI (Binoy Viswam) and the CPM (Binoy Viswam) are also on the list (Elamaram Kareem).
On Wednesday afternoon, a chopper carrying General Rawat, his wife Madhulika, and 12 other passengers crashed near Coonoor, Tamil Nadu.
General Rawat and his wife were among the 13 people killed in the incident. According to the Indian Air Force, the lone survivor, group captain Varun Singh, is being treated at a military hospital in Wellington.
When his chopper crashed, General Rawat, India's first CDS, was on his way to the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington to address the professors and student officers of the Staff Course.
His mortal remains will arrive in Delhi by evening, and his final rites would be performed on Friday at Delhi Cantonment.
