A total of 78 opposition lawmakers of the Indian parliament -- 33 from Lok Sabha, and 45 from the Rajya Sabha -- were suspended today for disrupting proceedings of the Houses over a major security breach of parliament. The disciplinary action is one of the biggest in Indian history. Of the lawmakers, 64 lawmakers have been suspended for the remainder of the current winter session of parliament which ends on December 22.

Last week too, 14 MPs were suspended -- 13 from Lok Sabha and one from Rajya Sabha for raising slogans and disrupting parliamentary proceedings. The security breach occurred on December 13, the 22nd anniversary of an attack on the parliament complex when more than a dozen people, including five gunmen, were killed. A man jumped into the lower house chamber from the visitors' gallery while members were in session, shouted slogans and set off a smoke canister. A second man tried to follow him. Both were caught by lawmakers and security personnel, and taken away.

At around the same time, two persons, including a woman, released coloured gas from canisters while shouting slogans 'tanashahi nahi chalegi' (dictatorship will not be allowed) outside the parliament premises. Police have arrested six people and filed terrorism charges against four of them.

In Lok Sabha, members like leader of Congress Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, T R Baalu of Dravida Munnetra Kazagham and Sougata Ray of Trinamool Congress were suspended for displaying placards and raising slogans over the security breach issue. Three MPs also climbed on the Speaker's podium to raise slogans.

Several Rajya Sabha members, including Congress's Jairam Ramesh, Randeep Surjewala and K C Venugopal, were suspended for causing similar disruptions in proceedings.

Leader of House in Rajya Sabha Piyush Goyal said Congress and its allies "insulted" the Lok Sabha Speaker and Rajya Sabha chairperson with their conduct. After the disruptions, India's Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi moved a motion regarding the suspension of the protesting MPs and it was adopted by a voice vote. After the motion the House was adjourned for the day.