BJP’s Nishikant Dubey moves motion against Rahul Gandhi over ‘unethical conduct’

Dubey objected to Gandhi’s speech referring to former chief of army staff General (retired) Manoj Mukund Naravane’s unpublished book.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Nishikant Dubey has submitted a notice to move a substantive motion against Lok Sabha leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi for “unethical conduct” and sought the setting up of a Parliamentary Inquiry Committee to investigate his “continual misdeeds for destabilizing the country and rescinding his ‘MP status’.”

Lok Sabha leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi with sister and Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi at the Parliament premises. (ANI)

A separate notice under Rule 380 was submitted by BJP chief whip Sanjay Jaiswal seeking expungement of at least four lines from Gandhi’s speech on Wednesday.

In his notice, Dubey accused Gandhi of “unethical conduct” and said “he has become a major constituent of the ‘Thuggery Gang to de-stabilise India from within”.

Dubey objected to Gandhi’s speech referring to former chief of army staff General (retired) Manoj Mukund Naravane’s unpublished book, alleging it was done with the “ulterior motive defaming the Indian Army vis-à-vis the Ministry of Defence along with shamefully involving the Prime Minister.”

The BJP lawmaker later said this was not the first time Gandhi had attempted to create controversy with the objective of defaming the government — whether in defence, finance, commerce or external affairs.

People aware of the developments said the government would not move a privilege motion against the leader of opposition. A person familiar with the matter said Union minister Hardeep Puri would “respond himself” to the allegations levelled against him by Gandhi.

In his notice, Jaiswal sought removal of phrases such as “sold India”, “Sold Bharat Mata” and “US trade deal is a disgraceful act”, among others.

Jaiswal further alleged that Gandhi had not done “prior authentication before making some baseless allegations”.