Congress accuses PM Modi of privilege breach for posting Thakur’s expunged comments online; Here's all you need to know

The Congress party has moved a privilege motion against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of violating parliamentary rules. This motion, filed by Congress MP and former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, was directed to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. The motion criticizes Modi for sharing on social media a video containing remarks by BJP MP Anurag Thakur that had been expunged from the parliamentary proceedings.

The controversy erupted on July 30, 2024, during a Lok Sabha debate on the Union Budget. Anurag Thakur made remarks about Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s caste, which were subsequently removed from the official record by the Chair. These comments ignited a heated dispute within the House.



Prime Minister Modi’s Social Media Post
Despite the expungement, Prime Minister Modi posted Thakur’s full speech on X (formerly Twitter), describing it as a "must hear." Modi praised the speech as a "perfect mix of facts and humour" and accused the INDI Alliance of "dirty politics." This action has been condemned by Congress as a serious breach of parliamentary privilege.


Understanding a Privilege Motion
A privilege motion is a formal procedure used when a member of Parliament believes that a parliamentary privilege has been breached. Such privileges include freedom of speech within the House and protection from arrest in civil cases. When a privilege motion is filed, it leads to an investigation to determine if there has been a violation.

Congress’s Accusations
Channi’s motion argues that Modi’s act of sharing the expunged remarks violates parliamentary rules. According to Channi, as outlined in "Practice and Procedure of Parliament" by Kaul and Shakdher, and reiterated by the Supreme Court in the Searchlight case, expunged remarks are to be considered as if they were never spoken. Publishing these remarks, therefore, constitutes a breach of privilege.

The Congress party has denounced Thakur’s speech as "highly abusive and unconstitutional." They argue that Modi’s social media post represents a grave violation of parliamentary norms. On the day of the incident, the Lok Sabha was adjourned until noon due to protests from opposition members over Thakur’s remarks and demands for a caste census.

Speaker Om Birla will review the privilege motion submitted by Channi to determine if it will be admitted for further proceedings. The decision will dictate how the alleged breach of privilege will be addressed.