Parl logjam: RS Chairman calls floor leaders' meet
March 23, 2023  08:34
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With the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Opposition insisting on their demands, an early solution to the impasse in Parliament seems unlikely as the two Houses meet on Thursday in the second week of the second part of the budget session after a day's break.

Rajya Sabha Chairman has called another meeting of floor leaders at 10 am on Thursday as part of consultations to break the logjam.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said on Wednesday that if the government is serious to allow Parliament to function, party leader Rahul Gandhi should be allowed to respond to BJP's allegations against him.

With the BJP insisting on apology from Rahul Gandhi over his remarks in UK, Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Wednesday wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking action against Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh over his alleged defamatory remarks about the former party chief.

'On March 13, when the Parliament was called into session and the members were assembled in the House, Rajnath Singh addressed the Lok Sabha and without offering any advance notice, made defamatory statements against Rahul Gandhi who is a Member of Parliament,' Tagore said in his letter to Birla.

'Rajnath Singh has clearly violated Rule 352 (ii) and Rule 353 of the LS Rules and the matter has to be taken up for action against him on priority,' he added.

The Congress leader also said that Rajnath Singh, while making defamatory and undignified statements has neither provided any source from where he had gathered the information nor has he presented any documentary or likewise evidence to support his claims against Rahul Gandhi.

'Such blatant character assassination of Rahul Gandhi is not only being allowed but encouraged since Rahul Gandhi has not been given any opportunity to defend himself or refute the allegations raised against him,' he added.

Congress Lok Sabha MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury also earlier on March 13 requested Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to expunge the statement of Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Pralhad Joshi against Rahul Gandhi.

On his part, Gandhi has written to the Speaker seeking permission to speak in the House to respond to the allegations levelled at him by the BJP.

'I had written to you on March 17 seeking your permission to respond to totally baseless and unfair charges hurled at me by senior ministers in the Lok Sabha. I am making such a request again. I am seeking this permission under the conventions of Parliamentary practice, the constitutionally embedded rules of natural justice and Rule 357 of the Rules and Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha,' Gandhi said in his letter to the Speaker.  -- ANI
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