Oppn gives privilege motion notice against Rijiju; 60 sign

Miffed at the unsavoury remarks of Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju during the on-going winter session of Parliament, the Opposition on Thursday submitted a notice for moving a Privilege Motion against him. TMC Rajya Sabha member Sagarika Ghosh initiated the process with 60 MPs of the Upper House signing the notice which was handed over to the secretary general for censuring the minister.

"The Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju, instead of doing his job of running Parliament smoothly, has chosen to repeatedly insult Opposition members. Yesterday (11/ 12/24), Rijiju insulted the Opposition by saying that the entire Opposition is "not worthy" of being members of the House. Rijiju has insulted opposition members and used personal terms against opposition MPs both inside and outside the House," Ghosh said in the notice to the Rajya Sabha secretariat.

Amid the tussle between Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar and the Opposition (which has submitted a notice for impeaching the Vice-President), Rijiju backed him in the House on Thursday and attacked the Opposition in what the latter termed "derogatory language". Rijiju had said the Opposition is not worth of being in the House. He also praised Dhankhar and expressed his gratitude that a leader like him is Chairman of the House.


The provision for moving a Privilege Motion is envisaged in Rule 187 of the Rules of Procedure of the Rajya Sabha.