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Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Thursday sent a reply to a breach of privilege notice over his remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, informed Congress sources on Thursday.
Rahul allegedly made 'unparliamentary' remarks against PM during his address in the Lok Sabha on the Motion of Thanks to the President's joint address to the Parliament. The Congress leader replied to the Lok Sabha Secretariat on the notice served on him on a Privilege Motion by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, sources in his party informed further. The Lok Sabha Secretariat had directed Rahul to reply to the breach of privilege notice moved by Union minister Joshi and BJP MP Dubey over his "misleading, derogatory, unparliamentary and incriminatory statements" against PM Modi in the Lower House. Rahul was asked to submit his reply by February 15 for consideration by the Lok Sabha Speaker. The communication by the Privileges and Ethics Branch of the Lok Sabha Secretariat was sent to the former Congress president on February 10. "I am to request you kindly to furnish your reply/comments in the matter by February 15, 2023," said the letter written by a Lok Sabha official. In his speech in the Lok Sabha on February 7, Rahul made several allegations against the government over the Hindenburg-Adani row. In his letter to the Lok Sabha Speaker, Dubey said the Congress MP made certain "unverified, incriminatory and defamatory statements" in contravention of the rules. He said Rahul made these allegations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi "without giving advance notice to the Speaker and the Prime Minister as required under Rule 353". "These statements are misleading, derogatory, indecent, unparliamentary, undignified and incriminatory in nature to the dignity of the House and Prime Minister being a Member of Lok Sabha. Rahul Gandhi, despite making a statement in the House that he would provide documentary evidence, has not submitted any duly authenticated document for supporting his statements," Dubey wrote. "As such, he has made a statement which amounts to misleading the House in the absence of any documentary evidence besides being a reflection upon the Prime Minister. This conduct is in clear violation of privileges of the House and its members besides being a clear case of contempt of the House," the BJP MP added. Joshi, who posted a similar letter to the Speaker, said Rahul's remarks are liable to be expunged as they are "derogatory, indecent, unparliamentary and undignified". (ANI)
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