Congress MP KC Venugopal moves privilege motion against PM Modi for 'insulting' Nehru family
3 min read . Updated: 17 Mar 2023, 12:38 PM IST
Premium- Senior Congress leader and Member of Parliament KC Venugopal has moved a privilege motion against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for alleged derogatory remarks against Rahul and Sonia Gandhi
Senior Congress leader and Member of Parliament KC Venugopal has moved a privilege motion against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for alleged derogatory remarks against Rahul and Sonia Gandhi.
Replying to a debate on the motion of thanks on the President's address, PM Modi said, “I had read in some newspaper, I have not verified it, but a report said as many as 600 government schemes are only in the name of Gandhi-Nehru family."
...if Nehru ji's name is left out by us, we would correct our mistake as he was the first prime minister of the country. But I do not understand why anyone from his clan is afraid of keeping Nehru surname? Is there any shame in having the Nehru surname? What is the shame? When the family is not ready to accept such a great personality, why do you keep questioning us," he said.
His attack was targeted at Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Sonia Gandhi.
Taking note of the speech Venugopal wrote in the notice, “The above mentioned remarks prima facie made in a mocking manner are not only disgraceful but also insulting and defamatory vis-a-vis the members of Nehru family particularly Smt. Sonia Gandhi and Shri Rahul Gandhi who are Members of Lok Sabha."
At the outset, I would like to say that the very suggestion by the Prime Minister why did they not take Nehru as a surname is preposterous by its very nature. Prime Minister knows on that day knew very well that surname of the father is not taken by daughter," he wrote.
“Despite knowing that, he deliberately mocked. Besides this, there is no need for further elaboration. Furthermore, the tone and tenor of the remark is insinuating and derogatory in nature. This clearly amounts to a casting reflections upon Smt. Sonia Gandhi and Shri Rahul Gandhi by the Prime Minister which breaches upon their privileges and also tantamounts to contempt of the House," Venugopal added.
Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha was adjourned till March 20 on Friday, minutes after the House was convened as the opposition and ruling party members created an uproar.
While the Opposition has been demanding a discussion and a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe into the Adani issue, ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members are demanding an apology from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his "democracy-under-threat" remarks made in London recently.
Soon after the listing of papers, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said he had received 11 adjournment notices under Rule 267, but disallowed those.
"After carefully going through the issues, the notices, I find, cannot be allowed," he said.
Thereafter, Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge sought to speak but was not allowed, triggering an uproar by the members of the Congress and other opposition parties.
The members of the treasury benches also stood up in protest.
Taking up the point of order raised by Kharge, the chairman directed Leader of the House Piyush Goyal to authenticate the assertions made by him on March 13 and 14.
"With respect to the point of order raised by the leader of opposition, I find it expedient to direct the leader of the House to authenticate the assertions made by him on March 13 and 14 on the issue during the course of the day," Dhankhar said.
Amid slogan shouting, the chairman adjourned the House till Monday.