Kharge submits privilege notice in RS against Shah over Ambedkar remarks
In his notice submitted to the RS Chairman, Kharge alleged that the remarks made by Shah were an insult to the architect of the Constitution and amounted to breach of privilege and contempt of the House
Mallikarjun Kharge
NEW DELHI: Congress president and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday submitted a privilege notice against Home Minister Amit Shah for his remarks against B R Ambedkar.
In his notice submitted to the RS Chairman, Kharge alleged that the remarks made by Shah were an insult to the architect of the Constitution and amounted to breach of privilege and contempt of the House.
"I hereby give a notice of question of privilege against Shri Amit Shah, Minister of Home Affairs under Rule 188 of Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha)," Kharge said in his notice.
He said on December 17, Shah during his reply in the Rajya Sabha on the discussion on 'Glorious journey of 75 years of the Constitution of India', had referred to Ambedkar which was "insulting and defamatory".
"...it is well established that any misconduct in the presence of the House or casting reflections and making defamatory statements constitute a breach of privilege and contempt of the House," he noted.
Kharge also claimed that the wording as well as the tone and tenor of the remarks made by the Home minister "are clearly satirical and made in a very bad taste".
"To use the name of Dr B R Ambedkar, the chief architect of Constitution of India, is a clear cut insult to Dr Ambedkar. There remarks which have been made on the floor of the House are outright derogatory in nature and affront to Dr Ambedkar," he claimed in his notice.
Noting that such a conduct by the home minister is tantamount to breach of privilege and contempt of the house, Kharge said, "In view of the foregoing I request that privilege proceedings may be initiated against Shri Amit Shah, Minister of Home Affairs."
Sharing Kharge's privilege notice in a post on X, AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "The Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge ji has submitted a privilege notice against the Union Home Minister for his insulting remarks on Dr. Ambedkar in the Rajya Sabha on Dec 17, 2024".
The Congress and other opposition parties are seeking the resignation and sacking of Shah for his remarks.
Shah on Wednesday accused the Congress of twisting facts and distorting his comments in the Rajya Sabha related to Ambedkar after BJP leaders "exposed" the opposition party's repeated "insults" to the architect of the Constitution.