The Privileges Committee of Lok Sabha has reportedly asked Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury to appear before the Committee to respond to the allegation of repeated misconduct. The Congress leader in the House, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, was suspended on August 10 for alleged repeated misconduct pending an investigation by the privileges committee. Speaking about the panel meeting held on Friday, the Lok Sabha MP once again indicated that he could move court to challenge his suspension.
"The Privilege Committee of Lok Sabha has decided to give an opportunity to Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury to appear before the Committee to respond to allegations against him. He may be asked to appear before the Committee on August 30, the next date of the meeting of the committee," Parliament sources told news agency ANI. It was later confirmed that he had been asked to appear on August 30 to present his case.
Speaking to ANI earlier, Chowdhury said, "The meeting of the Privilege Committee is happening as per the rules. I don't even know the agenda of the meeting. I hope that proceedings will happen as per the rules. But I don't have any information. The Speaker (Lok Sabha) will take a decision after the committee submits a report to him."
"I have already said that it (suspension from Lok Sabha) did not happen as per the rules. If the decision is delayed I may approach the Court," he added.
On the last day of the Parliament's Monsoon Session, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi moved a resolution for Adhir Chowdhury's suspension, remarking that the Congress MP disturbed the House whenever Prime Minister Narendra Modi and ministers spoke or a debate was going on. The resolution, presented after PM Modi's address, was passed by a voice vote.
The following day, the Congress leader in the Lok Sabha claimed that there is a deliberate design by the ruling BJP to throttle the opposition's voice by resorting to various unsavoury instruments, news agency PTI reported.
He called his suspension a retrogressive step by the ruling party and said that he has been placed in a queer situation "where I have been hanged and thereafter I will have to face the trial."
On suspension of four opposition MPs, including himself, he said it is a new phenomenon.
"There is a deliberate design by the ruling party to throttle the voice of the opposition by resorting to various unsavoury instruments which should not be applied to me, he said at a press conference. But with all respect to the chair of the House, I must say that I cannot contradict the direction of the chair. But if I find that this kind of situation could be resolved by court, I may try also to it," said the Congress MP from West Bengal's Baharampur constituency, as quoted by PTI.
He informed that consultations were underway on whether to move the Supreme Court or not.
"I may move the court soon," he said, adding that, "Very steadfastly and with all humility at my command, I can say that I did not have even a remote objective to disparage or tarnish anyone whosoever in Parliament."
Targeting the Prime Minister, he remarked, "Modi ji speaks on everything but on Manipur issue, he is sitting 'nirav' which means silent. 'Nirav' means silent. My intention was not to insult PM Modi."
Chowdhury contended that if anything is unparliamentary, the House Speaker has the right to delete or expunge it. "Why for one or two words, which were misconstrued by them as offensive, the BJP may have protested to the Speaker as per the rules and got those words expunged," he said, as quoted by PTI.
"Naturally, it is a queer, very precarious. Retrogressive steps are being taken by the government. These kinds of retrogressive steps will certainly undermine the spirit of Parliamentary democracy," the Congress leader added.
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