BJP MP seeks Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification from LS, Congress slams move

New Delhi: A day after Rahul Gandhi accused the Centre of selling India to the US over the trade deal, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey submitted a substantive motion demanding the cancellation of the Congress leader’s Lok Sabha membership. He also sought a lifetime ban on Gandhi from contesting elections.

Speaking to PTI at the Parliament House complex, Dubey said that his notice highlighted how the Leader of the Opposition travels abroad and associates with organisations such as the Soros Foundation, USAID and the Ford Foundation, and allegedly "colludes" with anti-India elements.

A substantive motion is an independent and self-contained proposal placed before a legislative body to seek its approval and express a particular decision or opinion.

"No privilege motion notice. I have given a substantive motion notice where in I have mentioned how he visits Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia with Soros Foundation, Ford Foundation and USAID, and colludes with anti-India forces," Dubey alleged.

If you want.. hang us, says Congress leader
Congress general secretary KC Venugopal criticised the BJP leader’s move, stating that the party was unconcerned about such motions.

Responding to questions on the ruling party’s actions against Gandhi’s remarks during the budget discussion in the Lok Sabha, Venugopal said, "Which privilege has Rahul Gandhi broken? They removed his membership last time.

"What happened afterwards was that people ensured his victory with more votes compared to that of Modi ji... We are not bothered about any motions, if you want to hang us, we are ready for that also... we will continue to tell the truth in Parliament."

Venugopal also attacked the government over the expunging of some of Gandhi’s remarks from official records on Wednesday, noting that questions had been raised about why "we took an extreme position" to submit a notice seeking the Speaker’s removal. He said the reason was that "we have not been getting justice from the chair".He further alleged that the government was exerting pressure on the Speaker to prevent opposition members from speaking.

"Whatever Rahul ji said is completely expunged from the records. Whatever Nirmala Sitharaman said, the same remarks were included in the records. The government has double standards... This Parliament is running for the government, not for the opposition," he said.