Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Feb 12: BJP MP Nishikant Dubey on Thursday said he has submitted a substantive motion against Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, seeking cancellation of his parliamentary membership and a lifetime ban on contesting elections.
The move comes a day after Rahul Gandhi launched a sharp attack on the Union government over the proposed India–US interim trade deal. Gandhi had alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had “sold the nation,” claiming the agreement would hurt farmers, weaken the textile sector and compromise India’s energy security in favour of the United States.
Earlier, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju had indicated that the government would bring a privilege motion against Gandhi for allegedly misleading the House. However, Dubey clarified that no privilege motion had been filed.
“There is no privilege motion. I have submitted a substantive motion wherein I have mentioned how he allegedly engages with the Soros Foundation, Ford Foundation, USAID and travels to places like Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and the US, and how he is linked with anti-India forces,” Dubey told reporters.
He said that based on these allegations, he has sought Gandhi’s expulsion from Parliament and demanded that he be permanently barred from contesting elections.
However, constitutional expert and former Lok Sabha Secretary General P.D.T. Achary questioned the procedural validity of the move. Speaking to the media, Achary said Dubey had not specified the rule under which the motion was submitted.
“All motions are substantive. Which rule is he quoting? A motion has to be given under certain rules. If a person has committed contempt of the House, then they can give a notice of contempt. That will be examined by the Privileges Committee, and the committee will give its report or recommendations. The House will act on it, that’s the process. There is no other way,” Achary said.
He further clarified that while the House has the power to expel a member, it does not have the authority to disqualify one.
“Disqualification takes place only under the Anti-Defection Law and the Representation of the People Act,” Achary noted.
The development has added to the ongoing political sparring between the ruling BJP and the Congress over the trade deal and other policy issues.