Following Rahul Gandhi's remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi questioning his links with billionaire Gautam Adani, during a debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address, earlier this week, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey has filed a breach of privilege complaint against the Congress MP. Lok Sabha secretariat has reportedly said that Gandhi is to respond to Dubey's notice by Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Gandhi attacked the Government over the Hindenburg report, citing that the meteoric rise in Gautam Adani's fortunes happened after the BJP came to power in 2014 as he rose in the global rich list from the 609th to the second spot eventually. He also questioned the Prime Minister's role in the rise of crony capitalism.
The ruling party has slammed the opposition MP's comments alleging contempt, unparliamentary, and misleading in nature. BJP also hinted at Adani's business interests in Congress-ruled Rajasthan and other opposition-ruled states.
As per an NDTV report, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi also wrote to the House Speaker Om Birla stating under Rule 380, the "unparliamentary, dishonorable allegations" made by Gandhi should be removed from the proceedings of the House.
Nishikant Dubey's note accuses Rahul Gandhi's comments on Modi as lacking any "documentary evidence" and "misleading the house". Dubey gave notice to the Speaker of a breach of privilege against Gandhi. "Gandhi has not submitted any duly authenticated document for supporting his statements. As such, he has made a statement which amounts to misleading of the House in the absence of any documentary evidence," Dubey wrote. His remarks were "misleading, derogatory, indecent, unparliamentary, undignified and incriminatory in nature to," the BJP MP added.
Gandhi's comments were expunged earlier this week, causing raucous protests from the Congress.
"Democracy was cremated" in Lok Sabha, the National party said. In an official statement on February 12, the Congress said unless "free, frank and fearless discussion is allowed to take place within the two Houses of Parliament, democracy is fundamentally and irreversibly imperiled".
