BJP moves to get Rahul Gandhi suspended from Lok Sabha, police send him notice

The Delhi Police, meanwhile, has issued notice to Rahul Gandhi, seeking information on the sexual assault victims that he mentioned during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Kashmir in January. An officer said police have taken cognizance of his public address and social media posts on his remarks and want to take legal action against the offenders.

Hoping for House action against him, the BJP, sources said, has approached the Speaker to constitute a special committee on the lines of the panel constituted to look into the cash-for-query scandal in 2005. A special committee, led by Congress leader Pawan Kumar Bansal, probed the charges against 10 Lok Sabha MPs and held that their continuance was “untenable” – it led to their expulsion.

If a special committee is formed, the BJP will have a majority in it given its strength in Lok Sabha. A special committee usually submits its report in a month.

“The BJP treats the issue over Rahul Gandhi as very serious and it’s beyond a privilege issue. So we want it to be treated seriously,” a senior party leader said. Speaking to reporters Thursday, Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju also said the matter is “beyond privilege” and the party will seek to use “all available instruments, rules and conventions”.

“Anything related to the nation is a matter of concern for all. We do not care what’s happening to the Congress or its leadership. But if he insults the nation, we cannot keep quiet,” he said.

“The language of anti-India forces is the same. They speak on the same lines. A similar language has been used by Rahul Gandhi. It’s the language of all those who work against India,” Rijiju said.

“What he (Rahul) said has damaged the country and brought damage to the House of which he is a member… Some people do not bother about the prestige of the country,” he said. “Will the Congress party take a broom to London and clean it up?” he asked.

With the BJP insisting that he apologise, Gandhi said Thursday that he did not make any “anti-India” remark and that he would speak in Parliament, if allowed.

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey has written to the Speaker on “the grave contempt of the House through unethical conduct” of Gandhi.

Giving notice under Rule 223 of Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha – it deals with the question of privilege – Dubey said Gandhi’s statements in the UK were “denigrating, unwarranted comments/untenable narrative” by an MP about “Indian Parliament, democracy, judiciary, press from foreign soil.”

He said Gandhi’s “conduct appears to seriously impair a member’s right to represent his constituents in Parliament and detract from the trust reposed in him by his constituents as such a member.”

In his notice, he said a special committee can be formed to consider if the member needs to be expelled from the House to “protect the esteem of Parliament and other democratic institutions”.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police has sought information on the sexual assault victims that Gandhi mentioned during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Kashmir in January.

In Srinagar, Gandhi spoke on how women were still sexually assaulted in the country. “When I was walking, there were a lot of women who were crying…There were many among them who told me they have been raped, they have been molested. Few said they were molested by their relatives. When I asked them if I should tell the police, they told me not to. They said they wanted me to know… not to tell the police. They said they will face more problems. Toh, ye hamare desh ki sachchai hai,” he had said.

A senior police officer said they have taken cognizance of the public address and want to take legal action against the offenders. “We saw multiple posts on Gandhi’s statement and sent a notice to him asking for details about the women and the incidents. We sent a questionnaire to get more details as none of the complainants or women approached us,” the officer said.

In a statement, the Congress said the Delhi Police notice is “yet another proof of a government in panic and their latest salvo to weaken democracy, women empowerment, freedom of expression and role of the opposition”.

The party said it will respond to the notice “in due course in accordance with law”.– With ENS in New Delhi