Congress Leader Seeks Privilege Proceedings Against PM Modi for Derogatory Remarks

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has requested breach of privilege proceedings against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for alleged derogatory comments against former Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari. Ramesh's letter to Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar states no other prime minister has attacked a former speaker of Lok Sabha or chairman of Rajya Sabha similarly.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has sought breach of privilege proceedings against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Rajya Sabha for allegedly making derogatory remarks about former chairman Hamid Ansari.

In a letter to Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, Ramesh claimed that no previous prime minister has attacked a former speaker of the Lok Sabha or chairman of the Rajya Sabha in the manner Modi has. He emphasized that the prime minister's comments, although not naming Ansari directly, were clearly directed at him, accusing him of bias towards the opposition, which Ramesh called 'wholly unacceptable and grossly derogatory.'

This is not the first instance of Modi targeting former Vice President Ansari. Ramesh pointed out that Modi had alluded to Ansari's diplomatic postings in a 'mischievous manner' during his farewell speech in August 2017. Ramesh stated that Modi's comments break parliamentary norms, decorum, and diminish the dignity of the Prime Minister's office. He called for privilege proceedings against Modi, asserting that the remarks made in the Lok Sabha showed grave disrespect to the high office of the chairman, Rajya Sabha.

(With inputs from agencies.)