Channi for privilege motion against PM, submits notice
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, July 31
Congress MP and former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Wednesday submitted a notice to move a privilege motion against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for posting on X a video that allegedly contained portions of remarks made by BJP MP Anurag Thakur against Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi that were expunged from the proceedings of the House by the Chair.
Thakur’s controversial comments against Rahul led to noisy scenes in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday as Congress-led opposition members raised slogans and rushed into the well of the House, which also led to a short adjournment during Question Hour.
As soon as the House convened for the day and Speaker Om Birla called for the Question Hour proceedings to commence, Congress members stood up and raised the issue of Thakur’s comments against Gandhi and sought his apology.
As Question Hour began, they jumped into the well of the House and raised slogans seeking a caste census, while showing placards. Besides the Congress, the DMK, the Samajwadi Party and the Shiv Sena (UBT) also protested. Papers were torn and thrown into the well, much to the chagrin of the Speaker.
Amid noisy scenes, the Speaker adjourned the House at 11.36 am till 12 noon. Just before the adjournment, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju c0ndemned the protests in the House and alleged that the Congress tried to weaken the country and create violence.
On Tuesday, Thakur’s apparent reference to Rahul’s caste during a discussion on the Union Budget in the House had triggered a spat between the Opposition and the Treasury Benches.
The Congress talks about “jaati” (caste) day and night, Rijiju said and stressed that everyone should go by the rules and regulations of the House.
Several members of the Opposition, including Manickam Tagore, did not ask questions even though their names were called by the Chair during Question Hour.
When first-time Congress MP from Gadhchiroli-Chimur Namdeo Kirsan asked a supplementary question, Birla told the protesting members not to disrupt him.
“Your party member is asking a question. You are not allowing him to speak. This is not good,” he said.
The Congress termed Thakur’s speech on Tuesday a “highly abusive and unconstitutional tirade”.
Rahul had also accused the BJP leader of insulting and abusing him during the debate but asserted that he would not seek any apology from Thakur, who is also a former Union Minister.
