New Delhi [India], February 12 (ANI): Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Thursday challenged the BJP-led Central government to “bring a privilege motion” against him, asserting his commitment to fighting for farmers.
His remarks come after Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said on Wednesday that Bharatiya Janata Party members in the Lok Sabha will give a privilege notice against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi “for misleading the House and also making baseless statements”.
However, sources reported earlier today that the Centre will not move a privilege motion against Rahul Gandhi, though the words in his speech delivered on Wednesday are likely to be expunged because his allegations were not authenticated.
Kiren Rijiju had accused Rahul Gandhi of making baseless and false allegations against the government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The row erupted after Rahul Gandhi questioned yesterday why industrialist Anil Ambani was not in jail, alleging that his name appeared in the Epstein-related files.
He alleged that there was pressure on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the India-US nuclear deal and “no PM would do what has happened in terms of ‘data, farmers, energy security and defence”.
Infuriated by Gandhi’s remarks, the Centre announced the potential filing of the motion.
In response, the Congress MP posted on X today that he would not allow “the anti-farmer Modi government compromise on the interests of the food providers.” He asserted that he will not bow down regardless of any threats.
“FIR should be filed, a case should be registered, or bring a privilege motion – I will fight for the farmers. Any trade deal that undermines farmers’ livelihoods or weakens the country’s food security is anti-farmer. We will not let the anti-farmer Modi government compromise on the interests of the food providers,” the LoP wrote in the post.
In a video shared in the post, he also charged the PM with several allegations, stating, “Narendra Modi has sold out the country, sold out the farmers. You can file a case against me, abuse me and do whatever you have to. Bring a Privilege Motion against me. It doesn’t matter. I have spoken the truth in Parliament.”
Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders extended support to the Privilege Motion. They slammed Rahul Gandhi’s remarks, calling him “immature and stubborn.”
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey moved a “substantive motion” in the Lok Sabha seeking to terminate Gandhi’s parliamentary membership and ban him from contesting elections for life, accusing him of collusion with “anti-India forces”.
Speaking to ANI, Dubey accused Gandhi of misleading the country and alleged that he had ties to George Soros.
“I have moved a motion in Lok Sabha today against Rahul Gandhi on how he is misleading the nation with the help of forces like (George) Soros, who want to harm the nation. In the motion I have moved, I have requested that Rahul Gandhi’s membership should be terminated and he should be barred for life from contesting elections,” Dubey told ANI.
Dubey also wrote a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, urging the House to constitute a dedicated Parliamentary Inquiry Committee to investigate Congress MP and LoP Rahul Gandhi’s “unethical conduct,” after his recent speech in the parliament.
Dubey took a jibe at the Congress leader, saying that he calls himself a “machoman,” while being on the verge of entering the senior citizens’ category in the next five years.
BJP MP Rekha Sharma accused Rahul Gandhi of recklessly defaming people and hailed the centre’s move against him.
“The way he ( LoP Rahul Gandhi) is disrupting the House… He recklessly names anyone and defames anyone… A privilege motion against him is a good move,” Rekha Sharma told ANI.
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi also slammed the LoP, calling him an “immature part-time politician” who has provided no evidence for his recent claims.
Addressing reporters, Joshi said, “He is an immature part-time politician. He did not present any evidence for his statements yesterday. The Parliamentary Affairs Ministry will decide this (on BJP moving a privilege motion against Rahul Gandhi).”
Meanwhile, Union Minister Chirag Paswan accused Rahul Gandhi of being “stubborn” and deliberately disrupting Parliament, saying the Congress leader’s approach was preventing the House from functioning during the Budget Session.
Responding to allegations against Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra mocked Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, asking the BJP to move a motion against him.
“They are calling him machoman, while it’s PM Modi who boasts about his ’56-inch ka seena’, so the BJP should be going against them,” she said.
Congress MP KC Venugopal on Thursday said the party was prepared to face the privilege motion against its members, asserting that the opposition would continue to raise issues in Parliament despite pressure.
Speaking to the reporters, Venugopal said, “We are ready to face a privilege motion.
The last time they tried to cancel his membership, the people gave him more votes than PM Modi got. We will continue to tell the truth in the Parliament.”
He alleged that the government was influencing the Chair to deny the Opposition an opportunity to speak. (ANI)