Synopsis
Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar dismissed the privilege motion notice from Congress's Jairam Ramesh against Amit Shah, citing thorough examination and the serious nature of such claims.Key Takeaways
- Rajya Sabha Chairman rejected Congress's privilege motion.
- The motion was based on comments made by Amit Shah.
- Dhankhar emphasized the need to protect members' reputations.
- Ramesh claimed Shah's remarks were defamatory.
- Shah accused Congress of mishandling the Prime Minister's Relief Fund.
New Delhi, March 27 (NationPress) Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Thursday dismissed the privilege motion notice submitted by Congress member Jairam Ramesh against Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
The motion was initiated by the Congress MP on March 26 due to allegations made against senior party leader Sonia Gandhi.
While rejecting the notice, the Rajya Sabha Chairman stated that he had thoroughly reviewed the situation and concluded that there was no misconduct.
He affirmed that he had conducted his due diligence and referred to official records.
Expressing his concern, Chairman Dhankhar remarked on the growing misuse of the delicate parliamentary procedure regarding breach of privilege.
“Breach of privilege is a grave issue. I have declined with significant distress that we hastily resort to claiming a breach of privilege, rush to the media, and attempt to damage reputations... I have reiterated multiple times that this House will not serve as a platform for tarnishing the credibility of its members... we must safeguard ...”
On Wednesday, Congress member Jairam Ramesh submitted a notice of privilege in accordance with Rule 188 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) against Amit Shah, the Home Minister, for making derogatory comments about Sonia Gandhi, who is a member of Rajya Sabha and the Chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party.
In the notice, Ramesh alleged that during his remarks on the Disaster Management Bill, 2024 on March 25, Amit Shah made baseless accusations against Sonia Gandhi intending to damage her reputation.
He noted, “... although the Home Minister did not explicitly name Smt. Sonia Gandhi, he clearly alluded to her and attributed motives concerning the management of the National Prime Minister's Relief Fund (NPMRF).”
Ramesh argued that it is well established that casting aspersions or derogatory remarks towards any member of the House constitutes a breach of privilege and contempt. “In this case, the Home Minister's statements are unfounded and defamatory. This constitutes a breach of the privilege of Smt. Sonia Gandhi and is contempt of the House as well.”
During the debate in Rajya Sabha on the amendment to the Disaster Management Bill, on Tuesday, HM Amit Shah criticized the Congress for its handling of the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund during the UPA era, accusing the opposition of a lack of accountability and transparency.
“It has become customary to make accusations and then evade responsibility. However, this is Parliament, not the streets. If you make allegations, you must be prepared to hear a response. Under the Congress regime, only one family controlled the Prime Minister's Relief Fund. The Congress party president was a member of the Prime Minister's Relief Fund,” he stated.
