New Delhi, Feb. 13: The government on Friday said it would proceed with a substantive motion against Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi after BJP MP Nishikant Dubey submitted a notice to the Lok Sabha Secretariat seeking action against the Congress leader.
The notice calls for a motion to cancel Gandhi’s Lok Sabha membership, alleging that he made unverified remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi and others in the House and acted in a manner supportive of “anti-national forces.”
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the government has decided not to move a separate privilege motion it was earlier considering, as a private member has already initiated a substantive motion on related issues.
Speaking at the conclusion of the first half of the Budget Session, Rijiju said the matter would now be discussed with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to determine the appropriate course of action.
“We will consult the Speaker on whether the notice should be referred to the Privileges Committee or the Ethics Committee, or whether it should be taken up directly in the House. These aspects are yet to be decided,” Rijiju said.
The minister added that the government had been planning action against Gandhi for allegedly violating parliamentary rules during his Budget speech. He claimed Gandhi referred to an unpublished book and used expressions such as “country sold out” and described remarks by the Prime Minister as “nonsense.”
Meanwhile, Gandhi maintained that he would continue to raise issues concerning farmers and other sections of society, regardless of any action taken against him.
The development comes amid heightened political tensions during the ongoing Budget Session, with the final decision on the motion expected after consultations with the Speaker.
