The Rajya Sabha Committee of Privileges has been asked to examine a complaint of Opposition MPs against VHP leader Sadhvi Prachi for her controversial "terrorists in Parliament" remarks, with Chairman Hamid Ansari referring the matter to it.
"Members are informed that Chairman, Rajya Sabha has (on Thursday) referred a question of breach of privilege arising out of the complaint of Naresh Agrawal and other Members of Rajya Sabha pertaining to alleged derogatory remarks against Members of Parliament by Sadhvi Prachi, a leader of a religious organisation, to the Committee of Privileges," a bulletin of the Upper House said.
The matter has been referred to the Committee under rule 203 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Rajya Sabha for examination, investigation and report.
Opposition MPs had on August 7 sought breach of privilege proceedings against the VHP leader for her controversial "terrorists in Parliament" remarks, and gave a notice to Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari in this regard.
Senior parliamentarians from Rajya Sabha including Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury and TRS member K Keshav Rao were among 20 members who gave the privilege notice against the VHP leader, saying her remarks had "violated the dignity" of Parliament and the privilege of MPs.
Congress Deputy Leader in House Anand Sharma, Ambika Soni, CPI's D Raja, Samajwadi Party member Neeraj Shekhar, CPI(M)'s Tapan Sen and JDU's K C Tyagi were the other signatories to the petition, urging the Chair to initiate proceedings against Prachi for breach of privilege.
Prachi, had allegedly said on August 6 that "it is a big misfortune that in Indian Parliament, we have one-two terrorists sitting there".
She had allegedly said this on the on the opposition to the hanging of 1993 Mumbai blasts convict Yakub Memon. "When the court has already proved so, those supporting the terrorist are terrorists themselves I believe," she said.
Opposition parties had expressed outrage at the remarks. Acting on it, the Rajya Sabha Secretariat had asked Hindutva leader Sadhvi Prachi to explain her controversial remarks.
JD-U general secretary K C Tyagi, later made a fresh complaint to the Chairman against her on September l1, rejecting her response on the issue to Parliament, saying it does not go anyway to show how her remarks against the MPs were justified.
Giving para wise rebuttal to Prachi's explanation, Tyagi said that her letter did not in any way go to show how her remarks against the MPs were justified.
Accusing her of "trying to hide behind" her argument that she was trying to defend President of India as well as the honourable Supreme Court, Tyagi asked "under what law, covenant, resolution, instruction does she abrogate to herself the right to defend these sacrosanct institutions".
