New Delhi: The government on Thursday said it would proceed with a substantive motion against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, following a notice submitted by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey to the Lok Sabha Secretariat seeking action against the Leader of Opposition.
Dubey’s notice calls for cancellation of Gandhi’s Lok Sabha membership, alleging that he made unsubstantiated remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other members in the House, and accusing him of acting in concert with “anti-national forces.”
Gandhi, who serves as Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, has maintained that he will continue to raise issues concerning farmers and other citizens irrespective of any action initiated against him.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said at the close of the first half of the Budget Session that the government has decided to drop the privilege motion it had been considering, as Dubey, a private member, has already submitted notice for a substantive motion.
Rijiju said discussions would be held with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to determine the next course of action. He indicated that it is yet to be decided whether the notice should be referred to the Committee of Privileges or the Ethics Committee, or brought directly before the House for consideration.
Explaining the government’s position, Rijiju alleged that Gandhi had violated parliamentary rules by referring to an unpublished book and making certain remarks during his Budget speech, including statements such as “country sold out” and using expressions he described as inappropriate for the Prime Minister.
He said that since a substantive motion has now been moved by a private member, the government will wait for its admission before deciding, in consultation with the Speaker, whether the matter should be examined by a parliamentary committee or debated in the House.
