Parliament Session 2023: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi today (February 16) sent a reply to the breach of privilege notice over his remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress sources informed on Thursday.
During his address in the Lok Sabha on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Joint Address to Parliament, Rahul allegedly made ‘unparliamentary’ remarks against the PM.
The Congress leader replied to the Lok Sabha secretariat on the notice served to him on the privilege motion by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, sources in his party further said.
The Lok Sabha secretariat had directed Rahul to reply to the breach of privilege notice moved by Union minister Joshi and BJP MP Dubey over his “misleading, defamatory, unparliamentary and inflammatory statements” against PM Modi in the lower house.
Rahul was asked to submit his reply by February 15 for consideration by the Lok Sabha Speaker.
The communication was sent to the former Congress president on February 10 by the Privileges and Ethics Branch of the Lok Sabha Secretariat.
“I request you to give your reply/comments in this matter by February 15, 2023,” said the letter written by an officer of the Lok Sabha. In his speech in the Lok Sabha on 7 February, Rahul made several allegations against the government regarding the Hindenburg-Adani row. In his letter to the Lok Sabha Speaker, Dubey said the Congress MP made some “unverified, derogatory and defamatory statements” in violation of rules. He said that Rahul made these allegations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi without giving advance notice to the Speaker and the Prime Minister as required under Rule 353.
“These statements are misleading, defamatory, indecent, unparliamentary, indecent and prejudicial in nature to the dignity of the House and the Prime Minister being a member of the Lok Sabha. Despite Rahul Gandhi making a statement in the House that he would provide documentary evidence, Dubey in his No duly attested documents have been produced in support of the statements.”
“As such, he has made a statement which amounts to misleading the House in the absence of any documentary evidence other than being a reflection on the Prime Minister. This conduct apart from being a clear case is a clear breach of the privileges of the House and its members ” Contempt of the House,” the BJP MP said. Joshi, who posted a similar letter to the Speaker, said Rahul’s comments could be removed as they were “offensive, indecent, unparliamentary and indecent”.
(with inputs from agencies)
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