Congress demands Rajya Sabha discussion on PM Modi’s allegations against Manmohan Singh in Gujarat

NEW DELHI: The Congress gave a notice in the Rajya Sabha for suspension of all business and holding a discussion on the opening day of the winter session of Parliament on accusations Prime Minister Narendra Modi made against his predecessor Manmohan Singh during the election campaign in Gujarat.

Leader of the Opposition in the Upper House, Ghulam Nabi Azad, deputy leader of Congress in the House, Anand Sharma, SP leader Naresh Agarwal and CPI’s D Raja have given notice under Rule 267 on the issue. Azad raised the matter and asked vicepresident M Venkaiah Naidu to accept his notice and hold a discussion.

“This is no ordinary allegation,” Azad said, adding that Singh, former vice-president Hamid Ansari, a former secretary and other diplomats were present at the gathering that Modi mentioned in his election speech in Gujarat’s Palanpur on December 10. Modi had alleged in his speech that at a party hosted by suspended Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar and attended by former Pakistan foreign minister Mahmud Kasuri, the Gujarat elections and ways to defeat BJP were discussed.


Naidu did not accept the notice. Later when the House met again, Sharma raised the issue and said, “an insidious reference and accusation has been made against a former prime minister,” but deputy chairperson PJ Kurien who was in the chair did not allow the matter to be taken up.

Earlier on Friday, Azad and SP member Naresh Agarwal raised the issue of disqualification of former JDU leader Sharad Yadav by the Rajya Sabha chairman. Azad said Nitish Kumar had won the Bihar polls as leader of the grand coalition and hence it was JDU members who should resign when they broke the coalition. Agarwal sought to know under what rule, as vice-president or chairperson or a court of the House, Yadav had been disqualified. Azad and Agarwal emphasised that they were not questioning the chairman but wanted to know under what rule the decision was taken.