Congress gives breach of privilege notice over PM Modi's remarks on Nehru surname
New Delhi, Mar 17: Congress leader K C Venugopal on Friday gave Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar a breach of privilege notice against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his remarks on why former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru's family did not use his surname.
The prime minister's remarks were made during his reply to the motion of thanks on the president's address in the Rajya Sabha on February 9 during the first part of the budget session.
"I hereby give a notice of question of privilege against the prime minister of India under Rule 188 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Council of States (Rajya Sabha) for having cast reflections upon members of Parliament during his reply to the motion of thanks on the president's address on February 9, 2023," Venugopal said in his notice.
He alleged that the remarks prima facie were made in a mocking manner and were not only disgraceful but also insulting and defamatory vis-a-vis members of the Nehru family, particularly Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi who are members of the Lok Sabha.
Venugopal said in his notice that the very suggestion by the prime minister on why they did not take Nehru as a surname is "preposterous" by its very nature.
The prime minister, he said, knows very well that the surname of the father is not taken by daughter.
"Despite knowing that, he deliberately mocked....The tone and tenor of the remark is insinuating and derogatory in nature. This clearly amounts to casting reflections upon Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi by the prime minister, which breaches upon their privileges and also tantamounts to contempt of the house.
"I seek privilege proceedings against Shri Narendra Modi, prime minister of India, for having made derogatory, insulting, distasteful and defamatory remarks against Smt Sonia Gandhi and Shri Rahul Gandhi which has amounted to breach of their privileges and also contempt of the house," the Congress Rajya Sabha member said in his notice.
The BJP has been demanding an apology from Rahul Gandhi after the party launched a major offensive against him over his "democracy under threat" remarks made recently in London. The party alleged that the former Congress chief has defamed India and its institutions on foreign soil.
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Veteran politician, BJP MP & ex-Union minister Srinivasa Prasad passes away
Bengaluru (PTI): Veteran politician, BJP MP and former Union Minister V Srinivasa Prasad died on Monday, family sources said.
The 76-year-old Lok Sabha member from Chamarajnagar was ailing for some time and being treated at a private hospital, where he passed away early today.
Prasad is survived by wife and three daughters.
He was a six-time MP from Chamarajanagar and also served as MLA from Nanjangud in Mysuru district for two terms.
On March 18 this year, Prasad announced his retirement from electoral politics, marking his 50 years in public life.
He first contested Assembly elections as an independent in 1974.
Prasad joined the erstwhile Janata Party in 1976 and switched over to the Congress in 1979. He also had a stint with the JD(S), JD (U), and the Samata Party before crossing over to the BJP.
Prasad served as the Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs Food and Public Distribution in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government from 1999 to 2004.
He returned to the Congress fold later, got elected as an MLA in 2013 and became Revenue Minister in the Siddaramaiah government.
In 2016, Prasad resigned from the Assembly and rejoined the BJP. He contested the 2017 Nanjangud bypolls on a BJP ticket but lost. He then successfully fought the Lok Sabha election from Chamarajanagar in 2019.
Condoling his death, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah described Prasad as a strong voice for the oppressed Dalits.
"The departure of the leader who lived the struggle against injustice and inequality is a big setback for the political struggle for social justice in the state," he added.
"He was a progressive-thinking political leader. Although we worked in different parties for a long time in old Mysuru region, we maintained a respectful relationship with each other. When I met him recently, we reminisced. I never thought Prasad would leave us so soon," the CM said.
BJP stalwart and former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said: 'I met him only a few days ago and I can't believe that he is not with us now. He was recognised as an influential Dalit leader who had made his mark in the politics of the state and the country."
