New Delhi: Congress party on Wednesday moved a privilege motion against Union Home Minister Amit Shah for ‘casting aspersions’ on Sonia Gandhi, party’s Rajya Sabha MP and former party president Sonia Gandhi.
Privilege motion against Amit Shah
Jairam Ramesh, Congress communications-in-charge, in a letter to Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, claimed that there was a ‘premeditated move’ to malign Sonia Gandhi, in connection with the functioning of National Prime Minister’s Relief Fund (PMNRF).
He accused Amit Shah of making blatantly false and defamatory statements against party MP Sonia Gandhi and demanded that privilege proceedings be initiated against the Home Minister.
Jairam’s demand for privilege motion followed Amit Shah’s statement during debate on Disaster Management Bill 2024 in the House on March 25.
“A family controlled the fund when Congress was in power. The Congress president was a member of this committee. Congress president was part of a government fund. What answer will we give to people? They think nobody reads, nobody notices it,” Jairam quoted Shah as saying in his letter.
Jairam, also the Congress chief whip claimed that though Home Minister didn’t take the name of Sonia Gandhi, it was imperative that he referred to her and “imputed motives” to her on the functioning of NPMRF.
“It is well established that it is a breach of privilege and contempt of the House to cast reflections or make derogatory references to any MP.
In the instant case, the Home Minister has made unfounded allegations against Sonia Gandhi with a premeditated motive to malign her reputation,” he said.
“The Home Minister’s statement is blatantly false and is defamatory. This tantamounts to breach of privilege of Sonia Gandhi,” he further stated.
Jairam’s move for privilege motion against Amit Shah comes close on the heels of similar notices against Leader of the House (Rajya Sabha) JP Nadda and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju over their ‘misleading’ remarks on Karnataka Deputy CM.
Both ministers had stated that Karnataka Dy CM DK Shivakumar spoke about changing the Constitution to facilitate 4% reservation for Muslims.
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LoP Rahul Slams Speaker Om Birla
Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday accused Speaker Om Birla of running the House in an “undemocratic manner” and denying him the opportunity to speak.
He claimed that his repeated requests to address key issues like unemployment and the Maha Kumbh Mela in the House were ignored.
“I requested him (the Speaker) to let me speak, but he just ran away. This is no way to run the House,” Rahul Gandhi told reporters outside the House.
Gandhi stated that despite sitting quietly, he was consistently prevented from speaking, which he described as a tactic to muzzle the Opposition.
The Speaker, Om Birla, defended the proceedings, emphasising the importance of maintaining decorum in the House.
He referenced Rule 349, which outlines the expected conduct of members, and urged Gandhi to adhere to these standards.
Birla also invoked Rule 372, which allows the Prime Minister or any minister to make statements without taking questions during a session, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about the Maha Kumbh Mela.
Before he adjourned the House in the day, the Speaker said members are expected to maintain decorum on the floor.
“Several instances have come to my notice in which the conduct of members is not up to the high standards of this House. This House has seen father-daughter, mother-daughter and husband-wife as members.
In this context, I expect that the Leader of the Opposition behaves in the House in line with Rule 349,” the Speaker said.
Rule 349 lays down the rules of conduct for members to observe in the House.
A week earlier, the House witnessed an uproar during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address on Maha Kumbh. PM Modi highlighted the event’s cultural significance and its role in showcasing India’s capabilities, but Opposition members protested, raising concerns about the stampede deaths at the gathering. Amid the din, Speaker Om Birla invoked Rule 372.
Speaking to the media later, Gandhi had said, “I wanted to support what the Prime Minister (Modi) said. Kumbh is our tradition, history and culture. Our only complaint is that the Prime Minister did not pay tribute to those who died in Kumbh.”
Gandhi reiterated his dissatisfaction with the Speaker’s approach, stating that the Opposition was being systematically excluded from parliamentary discussions.
The incident underscores ongoing tensions between the ruling party and the Opposition, with Gandhi accusing the government of stifling democratic debate.
The Speaker’s emphasis on decorum and rules, juxtaposed with Gandhi’s allegations of unfair treatment, highlights the challenges of maintaining balance and inclusivity in parliamentary proceedings.
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