Congress urges LS Speaker to expunge statement of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi [India], March 13 : Congress Lok Sabha MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Monday requested Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to expunge the statement of Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Pralhad Joshi where they made "unparliamentary" remarks against Rahul Gandhi without "prior notice".
"Today, both the Hon'ble Ministers made unsubstantiated remarks against our leader without prior notice and no opportunity was accorded to the members of his party to refute the allegations," Chowdhury wrote in his letter, requesting the Lok Sabha Speaker to expunge the statement of Rajnath Singh and Prahlad Joshi.
In his letter, he further said that during the Question Hour, Union Defence Minister made certain comments on Rahul Gandhi in regards to certain speeches made by the latter in UK.
"The remarks made by Hon'ble Minister of Parliamentary Affairs was not in good taste and unparliamentary," he added.
"Sir, I may add that Rule 352 provides inter-alia that a member while speaking shall not make personal reference by way of making an allegation imputing a motive to or questioning the bonafide of any other member of the House," the Congress leader said.
He further noted that the rule 353 also states that no allegation of a defamatory or incriminating nature shall be made unless the member has given adequate notice to the Speaker.
"Moreover, 357 provides that Speaker shall allow a member to make a personal explanation if something has been alleged against him," Chowdhary further stated.
Slamming Rahul Gandhi for "insulting India in London," Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday demanded in Lok Sabha that the Congress leader should be asked to "apologise before the House."
"Rahul Gandhi, who is a member of this House, insulted India in London. I demand that his statements should be condemned by all members of this House and he should be asked to apologise before the House," Singh said in the lower house of the Parliament.
However, both Houses of Parliament were on Monday adjourned till 11 am tommorrow amid uproar with the govenment demanding an apology by Rahul Gandhi over his remarks in a speech in London followed by protests by Opposition members.
During interaction at the Chatham House in London recently, Gandhi alleged that the microphones of Opposition leaders in Parliament are often silenced. He attacked the BJP-led government at the Centre and levelled several allegations.
Gandhi even said that Europe and the US are not doing enough to restore democracy in India as they are getting trade and money from the country.
The Congress leader also alleged that various institutions in the country were under threat.
"It shocked me how successful they have been at capturing the different institutions of our country. Press, Judiciary, Parliament, and Election Commission are all under threat and are controlled in one way or the other," Gandhi said.
He also termed the RSS a "fundamentalist" and "fascist" organisation alleging that it has captured pretty much all of India's institutions.