Government to go with Dubey’s motion against Gandhi

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Friday said the government has decided to shelve its plan to move a privilege motion against Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, after a BJP MP submitted a notice for a “substantive motion” on the same issue.

Rijiju said the government will now proceed with the motion filed by BJP member Nishikant Dubey with the Lok Sabha Secretariat. As a private member has already initiated the process, the government will refrain from introducing a separate motion, he said.

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Dubey’s notice accuses Gandhi of using “unparliamentary language” against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and others. The notice also alleges that Gandhi has associated with “anti-national forces” and seeks cancellation of his Lok Sabha membership, along with a lifetime bar on contesting elections.

Rijiju said discussions would be held with Speaker Om Birla to determine whether the notice should be referred to the Privileges Committee, the Ethics Committee, or brought directly before the House. “These things have not yet been decided,” he said, adding that a final decision would follow consultations with the Speaker after the motion is admitted.