Privilege motion moved to shift focus from cut motion: Congress

Congress today dismissed opposition charges that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh committed breach of privilege by announcing outside Parliament his decision to reject setting up of a JPC on the issue of tapping of phones of politicians.

Congress today dismissed opposition charges that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh committed breach of privilege by announcing outside Parliament his decision to reject setting up of a JPC on the issue of tapping of phones of politicians.

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"This is not a breach of privilege... We will face it," party spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan told reporters in New Delhi, adding, the opposition move showed "complete lack of any productive issues" with them.

Rubbishing the charge she said, the opposition has been making allegations inside and outside Parliament and she was not aware of the exact context in which the PM made the announcement.

Natarajan said moving the privilege motion was aimed to "divert attention" from the cut motion, which the opposition was bound to lose.

Fifty MPs of the BJP gave a petition to the Lok Sabha Secretary General alleging breach of privilege by the PM in the matter.

CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury also deemed it a "fit case" of breach of privilege.