3 min readJul 22, 2017 06:41 AM IST
First published on: Jul 22, 2017 at 06:41 AM IST
SP leader Naresh aggarwal at the Parliament House in new Delhi on Friday (Express photo by Prem Nath Pandey)
Why did you raise the issue of vandalism at your house in Delhi and the threat from Meerut?
I made certain remarks in the Rajya Sabha about a slogan written on a building wall in UP. After the Chair directed, I withdrew the remarks and expressed regret. Youth BJP workers on Thursday attacked my residence and resorted to vandalism. A BJP leader in Meerut issued a threat. My question is: will the BJP promote all this since it is in power?
You also raised the issue of Parliamentary privilege. Why?
If any member speaks in Parliament and this leads to a threat to his life, it is a serious matter. This is undermining Parliament and an attack on freedom of speech of a member in the House. Now an FIR has been lodged against me. This is nothing but an attempt by the BJP to harass members who speak against the government.
What is your grievance against the media in this matter?
The Chair expunged the remarks and directed that newspapers and news channels should not run it. Many news organisations broadcast or published the quote that was expunged. Moreover, what I said was not fully quoted, which gives the impression that I made derogatory remarks against gods whereas I was only quoting something written on a jail building wall in UP where some of those participating in the Ram temple movement were lodged. Those were not my words. I was repeating something that was written there.
What course will this issue take, now that you have given a complaint to the Rajya Sabha Chairman?
We have given a complaint to the Chairman against media houses that published or broadcast those comments.
What would you say about the FIR?
How can someone file an FIR against what has been said inside Parliament? We demand action against the person who filed the FIR. The Chair has said that nobody has the authority to file an FIR or give any punishment against whatever is said in this House.
SP leader Naresh aggarwal at the Parliament House in new Delhi on Friday (Express photo by Prem Nath Pandey)
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