The Privilege Committee of the Rajya Sabha has sought a written response from suspended Congress MPs, Rajani Patil and the others who have been named for creating a ruckus in the Upper house of Parliament in the recently concluded first part of the Budget session. The committee which is chaired by Deputy Rajya Sabha chairman Harivansh has ordered the same in its meeting on Monday.
“It is part of the procedure that those against whom the complaint is filed is given a chance to respond first before any further steps or action,” a source told ANI.
A week or so ago this matter was referred to the panel by Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar.
Continuing the action against unruly MPs in the Rajya Sabha following the suspension of Rajani Patil for the entire Budget Session, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar had given his consent for the privilege committee to examine the conduct of 12 MPs from the opposition.“Members are informed that the Chairman, Rajya Sabha has referred a question of the alleged breach of privilege arising out of gross disorderly conduct displayed by the Rajya Sabha MPs in violation of rules and etiquette of Rajya Saha by repeatedly entering the well of the Council, shouting slogans and persistently and wilfully obstructing the proceedings of the Council, compelling the Chair to repeatedly adjourn the sittings of the Council, under rule 203 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) to the committee of Privileges for examination, investigation and report,” said a Rajya Sabha bulletin.
The names of the Rajya Sabha MPs include those from the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in particular. These 12 MPs are Sanjay Singh, Shaktisinh Gohil, Sushil Kumar Gupta, Sandeep Kumar Pathak, Naranbhai J Rathwa, Syed Nasir Hussain, Kumar Ketkar, Imran Pratapgarhi, L Hanumanthaiah, Phulo Devi Netam, Jebi Mather Hisham and Ranjeet Ranjan.