As the BJP looks for ways to suspend Congress leader Rahul Gandhi from the Parliament over his “democracy under attack” remarks in the UK, the Congress has moved a breach of privilege notice against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his remarks against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi on why former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s family did not use his surname.
Congress leader K C Venugopal on Friday approached Vice-President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdep Dhankhar with a notice of question of privilege against the PM under Rule 188 of the Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Upper House.
As the BJP
Congress leader K C Venugopal on Friday approached Vice-President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdep Dhankar with a notice of question of privilege against the PM under Rule 188 of the Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Upper House.
“I hereby give a notice of question of privilege against the prime minister of India under Rule 188 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Council of States (Rajya Sabha) for having cast reflections upon members of Parliament during his reply to the motion of thanks on the president’s address on February 9, 2023,” Venugopal said in his notice.
Venugopal said the PM’s remarks “are not only disgraceful but also insulting and defamatory vis-a-vis the members of Nehru family particularly Smt Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi who are members of the Lok Sabha”.
Venugopal said in his notice that the very suggestion by the PM on why they did not take Nehru as a surname is “preposterous” by its very nature, adding that PM Modi knows very well that the surname of the father is not taken by daughter.
“Despite knowing that, he deliberately mocked…The tone and tenor of the remark is insinuating and derogatory in nature. This clearly amounts to casting reflections upon Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi by the prime minister, which breaches upon their privileges and also tantamounts to contempt of the house.
I seek privilege proceedings against Shri Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India for having made derogatory, insulting, distasteful and defamatory remarks against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi which has amounted to breach of their privileges and also contempt of the House,” added Venugopal, who is a member of the Rajya Sabha.
The Speech reference is to PM Modi’s remarks made during his reply to the motion of thanks on the President’s address in the Rajya Sabha on February 9 during the first part of the Budget Session.
Modi had said, “I find it very surprising that we may at times miss out mentioning the name of (Jawaharlal) Nehru ji, and we will also correct ourselves because he was the country’s first prime minister. But I do not understand why none of them use the Nehru surname? What is the shame in using the Nehru surname? Such a great personality is not acceptable to you, to the family?”
Later, Gandhi had questioned why PM Modi’s remarks against him were not expunged, as contrast to the Speaker’s decision to remove from records some comments of his made on billionaire industrialist Gautam Adani and PM Modi.