Ashish Ranjan
Privilege notice against 12 MPs: Following the suspension of Congress MP Rajni Patil for the duration of the Budget Session, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar has authorised the privileges committee to investigate the behaviour of 12 opposition MPs.
“Members are informed that the Chairman, Rajya Sabha has referred a question of the alleged breach of privilege arising out of gross disorderly conduct displayed by the Rajya Sabha MPs in violation of rules and etiquette of Rajya Sabha by repeatedly entering the well of the Council, shouting slogans, and persistently and willfully obstructing the proceedings of the Council, compelling the Chair to repeatedly adjourn the sittings of the Council.”
The names of Rajya Sabha members include Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) representatives in particular. These 12 MPs are Sanjay Singh, Shaktisinh Gohil, Sushil Kumar Gupta, Sandeep Kumar Pathak, Naranbhai J Rathwa, Syed Nasir Hussain, Kumar Ketkar, Imran Pratapgarhi, L Hanumanthaiah, Phulo Devi Netam, Jebi Mather Hisham and Ranjeet Ranjan.
In addition, another notice of privilege has been issued against AAP Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh for continuously requesting the suspension of the Zero Hour in order to debate the Adani stock problem. During the first portion of the session, the chairman of the Rajya Sabha had reprimanded Sanjay Singh for distributing similar notifications.
“Members are informed that the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha has referred a question of an alleged breach of privilege arising from repeated submission of identical notices under rule 267 by Sanjay Singh, Member of the Rajya Sabha, under rule 203 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) to the Committee of Privileges for examination, investigation, and report.”
The opposition parties’ demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to investigate the Adani stock situation resulted in a tremendous uproar in the Upper House of Parliament during the recently finished first half of the Budget Session. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech for the Reply to the Motion of Thanks to the President was interrupted by commotion and sloganeering.
Also Read | Lahore HC grants protective bail to Imran Khan
After issuing numerous warnings to opposition members, the chairman of the Rajya Sabha dismissed Congress MP Rajni Patil for taking smartphone footage of the commotion.
The second portion of the Budget Session will resume on March 13 and continue through April 6 following the recess.
