Congress organisation in-charge and Lok Sabha MP K.C. Venugopal on Tuesday submitted a privilege notice against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for casting aspersions on Opposition members’ voting patterns on the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill in his address to the nation on Saturday, calling it a “blatant abuse of power” and “contempt of the House”.
“In the 29-minute speech termed as ‘address’ to the nation, the Prime Minister criticised Opposition parties for blocking the bill and made direct reflections on the voting patterns of Members of Parliament and attributed motives to them,” Venugopal pointed out in his letter to the Lok Sabha Speaker.
He was referring to Modi’s televised address to the nation on Saturday, a day after the bill that sought to lift the freeze on delimitation over the stated plan to fast-track the women’s reservation law was defeated in the Lok Sabha.
Stating that Prime Ministers address the nation on matters of national concern that brook no delay, Venugopal said: “Addressing the nation by the Prime Minister on government not able to muster requisite majority in Parliament, for criticising the Opposition parties is unprecedented, unethical and blatant misuse of power. Such statements by the highest executive functionary of the country constitute a serious breach of privilege and contempt of the House.”
Stating that it is well established that imputing motives to members of Parliament on the speeches made by them on the floor of the House amounts to a breach of privilege, the Congress MP urged the Speaker to refer the matter to the committee of privileges of the Lok Sabha for a detailed enquiry so that privilege proceedings can be initiated against the Prime Minister.
It is for the Speaker to decide whether a privilege notice against any member of the House should be taken up for further action.