BJP Files Breach of Privilege Notice Against Rahul Gandhi Over Remarks in Lok Sabha

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has submitted a breach of privilege notice against Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi in the Lok Sabha, accusing him of demeaning the dignity of Parliament and making offensive remarks. The notice was submitted to Speaker Om Birla on Thursday, citing Gandhi's use of terms such as "idiots" and "andhbhakts" during a debate on a bill proposing stricter penalties for exam paper leaks.

BJP MP Anurag Thakur, in his letter to the Speaker, argued that Gandhi violated Lok Sabha rules by making defamatory remarks without prior notice. He urged that the matter be referred to the Privileges Committee for inquiry. Thakur also noted that Speaker Birla had repeatedly warned Gandhi, but he continued to use unparliamentary language.

Separately, BJP chief whip Sanjay Jaiswal filed a complaint against Gandhi, stating that while criticism of government policy is legitimate in parliamentary democracy, personal attacks and insulting language cannot be permitted. Jaiswal said Gandhi's remarks violated rules governing the conduct of MPs.

The controversy stems from Gandhi's speech on Wednesday, during which he held Union Home Minister Amit Shah responsible for alleged police excesses against protesters on July 20. His remarks drew strong objections from treasury benches, and the Speaker later expunged portions of his speech deemed unparliamentary.

The BJP has demanded an unconditional apology from Gandhi to the House and to Amit Shah. The matter is now pending before the Speaker.