Synopsis
On March 24, Congress initiated a breach of privilege notice against BJP leaders J.P. Nadda and Kiren Rijiju in the Rajya Sabha, accusing them of misleading the House by alleging that Congress intends to amend the Constitution for Muslim reservation. The matter escalated into a heated debate, with strong denials from Congress leaders.Key Takeaways
- Congress filed a breach of privilege notice in RS.
- Allegations focused on misleading statements about Muslim reservation.
- Congress leaders strongly refuted claims made by BJP ministers.
- Contentious debate led to House adjournment.
- Legal actions were suggested by Congress leaders against BJP.
New Delhi/Bengaluru, March 24 (NationPress) The Congress party has taken action by filing a breach of privilege notice against BJP National President and Union Minister for Health J.P. Nadda, along with Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju, in the Rajya Sabha. This notice was filed for allegedly misleading the House by accusing the Congress of making amendments to the Constitution for the purpose of Muslim reservation.
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, who serves as the Chief Whip, has submitted individual notices to the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha regarding this issue.
Jairam Ramesh stated: "I hereby submit a notice concerning a question of privilege in accordance with Rule 188 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) against Union Ministers Nadda and Kiren Rijiju."
The proceedings in the Rajya Sabha became contentious on Monday, as the BJP accused the Congress government in Karnataka of facilitating Muslim reservation and alleged that Congress leaders aimed to amend the Constitution for this purpose.
The claims made by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju were met with strong opposition from Mallikarjun Kharge, the Congress President and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha.
The notice against J.P. Nadda referenced his statement in the Rajya Sabha that "The Congress is taking away rights of SC, ST, and OBC to be given to Muslims and minorities. They have attempted to give backdoor entry to Muslims in the OBC always and history supports this claim. Shivakumar has reiterated that the Constitution is crafted by the Congress and the party will also change it."
Jairam Ramesh remarked, "The statements made by J.P. Nadda are entirely false, lack factual basis, and are designed with a premeditated intent to tarnish the image of the Indian National Congress and its leaders. Thus, these remarks constitute a breach of privilege and contempt of the House. I urge that privilege proceedings be initiated against J.P. Nadda regarding this matter."
"On March 24, shortly after the House convened, Kiren Rijiju blatantly misled the House by attributing false statements to D.K. Shivakumar, the Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka."
The senior Congress leader further emphasized: "Shivakumar has since denied the statements attributed to him as false and derogatory. Therefore, the remarks made by Kiren Rijiju are misleading and constitute a breach of privilege and contempt of the House. It is well established that making false and misleading statements in the House is a breach of privilege.
"In light of this, I demand that privilege proceedings be initiated against Kiren Rijiju as well," he insisted.
As soon as the Rajya Sabha convened on Monday, Rijiju raised concerns regarding statements allegedly made by senior Congress leaders in Karnataka. "A very serious matter has come to our attention," he stated, adding, "A senior Congress leader holding a constitutional position has expressed willingness to amend the Constitution to grant reservation to the Muslim community."
Rijiju remarked: "If an ordinary citizen had made such a statement, it could have been overlooked. However, when someone in a constitutional role makes such claims, they cannot be dismissed lightly. These individuals carry the image of Babasaheb Ambedkar but discuss altering his Constitution."
J.P. Nadda also accused the Congress of undermining the Constitution.
"Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar established that reservation cannot be granted based on religion. This is a fundamental principle. Nonetheless, the Congress government in Karnataka has enacted a 4 percent reservation for minorities in public contracts," he alleged.
In response, Kharge disputed the accusations, asserting that the Congress is dedicated to protecting the Constitution.
"No one can alter the Constitution drafted by Babasaheb Ambedkar. Who is this individual suggesting we plan to do so? Our 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' from Kanyakumari to Kashmir was aimed at safeguarding the Constitution," he stated.
Rijiju, however, remained adamant. "I want to state on record that both the Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka and the Congress State President have made these statements, and I am ready to verify them," he asserted.
He also claimed that Sardar Patel had rejected a similar proposal from the Muslim League during the Constituent Assembly debates.
As tensions escalated, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar intervened, urging the ruling party to validate its claims. Despite this, the heated exchanges persisted, eventually leading to the adjournment of the House's proceedings.
In response to the situation, Shivakumar announced on Monday that he would pursue legal action against the BJP for misquoting him regarding the Muslim quota comments.
“I will initiate a breach of privilege motion and pursue legal action for misquoting me. The BJP is distorting my words and misrepresenting my statements. The Congress comprehends the Constitution and its workings. The BJP is intentionally misinterpreting my words, and I will take legal action against this breach of privilege,” Shivakumar declared.
He added that the Congress will uphold the Constitution, which is the party's responsibility and birthright.
