Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has asserted that he has the right to respond in Parliament to the totally baseless and unfair charges hurled at him by senior ministers in the Lok Sabha over his democracy remarks.
In a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Gandhi invoked Rule 357 which allows for personal explanations and also cited the example of BJP MP and then minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, who invoked the Rule to give an explanation regarding comments made by Jyotiraditya Scindia in relation to him in Parliament I am making such a request again. I am seeking this permission under the conventions of Parliamentary practice, the constitutionally embedded rules of natural justice and Rule 357 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha, he said in his letter to the Speaker.
Gandhi said, A member may, with the permission of the Speaker, make a personal explanation although there is no question before the House, but in this case no debatable matter may be brought forward, and no debate shall arise. The Congress leader said members of the ruling regime have made “scurrilous and defamatory claims against me” both within and outside Parliament. As a result of these allegations, and the rules invoked by these individuals, it is only appropriate that you kindly allow me a right to reply as contained in Rule 357 which allows for ‘personal explanations’, he said.
He also claimed that there are several examples available on the Lok Sabha Digital Library which show that this right isn’t restricted to responding to statements made within Parliament but extends to allegations made in the public domain as well.
I hope the above satisfies your query and that you will allow me a right to reply in the Lok Sabha at the earliest, Gandhi told the Speaker and added that he will be away in Karnataka and Kerala on March 20 and 21.
Gandhi’s democracy remarks have triggered a massive political row, with the BJP accusing him of maligning India on foreign soil and seeking foreign interventions and the Congress hitting back, citing instances of Prime Minister Narenra Modi raising internal politics abroad.