Pragya Thakur’s complaint against Rahul Gandhi forwarded to privileges panel

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla forwarded Bhopal MP Pragya Thakur’s complaint of breach of privilege against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to the privileges committee of the Lower House on Friday, said people familiar with the matter.

Last month, after Pragya’s reference to Nathuram Godse created an uproar in the House, Gandhi had tweeted, “Terrorist Pragya calls terrorist Godse, a patriot. A sad day, in the history of India’s Parliament.”

Pragya apologised twice in the House for her comments but also launched an attack on Gandhi for his remarks. “It is unlawful to call me a terrorist when I haven’t been held guilty… Will questions be asked of the member of this House who called me a terrorist? Will there be action?” she said, before filing a privilege motion against the Congress leader.

Birla, as a routine, has forwarded the complaint to the privileges committee, people familiar with the issue said. The panel is expected to discuss the issue first before taking a call on how to proceed.

Thakur is an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case in which six people were killed and over 100 were injured.