Opposition leaders of I.N.D.I.A bloc in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday submitted a privilege notice against Union minister Piyush Goyal for allegedly using an unparliamentary word. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh alleged that Goyal, leader of the House, addressed the opposition leaders as ‘traitors’ and demanded an apology from the minister.
In a tweet, Ramesh said, “Today at 1300 hrs, the floor leaders of INDIA parties in the Rajya Sabha submitted a privilege motion against Leader of the House Piyush Goyal for addressing the Opposition as all of them "traitors".”
“Nothing less than an apology from him on the floor of the House, when it is in order, will do,” he added.
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Before the House was adjourned for the third time till 2 pm, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar repeatedly asked members to go back to their seats and maintain order in the House. The Chairman informed the House that Congress leader Jairam Ramesh met him in his chamber and told him that Leader of House Piyush Goyal used an "inappropriate word".
"Let me examine. It will not be in the record of the House," he said.
{{/usCountry}}"Let me examine. It will not be in the record of the House," he said.
{{/usCountry}}Goyal, on his part, also urged the Chair to expunge if any unparliamentary remark was made by him in House.
Senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh said, "Please examine his (Goyal's) statement. Charges which he levelled against us calling traitor and charge of money…Sir, what is all that?"
The opposition leaders of the Congress-led Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance walked out of the Upper House when the proceedings resumed at 2pm.
Ramesh said they walked out for the rest of the day because of the “continued refusal of the Leader of the House Piyush Goyal to apologise for the highly objectionable and completely unacceptable remarks he made against leaders of the INDIA parties.”
Another reason he cited was the “continued refusal of the Modi government to allow an immediate discussion on Manipur on the basis of a mutually negotiated Motion.”