RS Chairman Rejects Privilege Motion Against Shah, Cites Adherence To Truth

Rajya Sabha Chairman and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar on Thursday rejected the notice of privilege motion given by Congress MP Jairam Ramesh against Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Congress Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh had submitted a privilege notice against Amit Shah, accusing him of casting aspersions on former Congress President and Rajya Sabha MP Sonia Gandhi in connection with the functioning of the National Prime Minister’s Relief Fund (NPMRF).

Citing a press document issued by the Press Information Bureau (PIB) on January 24, 1948, the Chairman, while rejecting the privilege motion, stated that there is “no transgression and absolute adherence to truth”.

The Vice President stated that he declined the motion with a “deep sense of anguish and pain.” He remarked that this House will not be a platform to “ruin reputations” of people.

Dhankar said, “I have gone through the document. There is no transgression, absolute adherence to truth, which is vindicated by a document that is available to the members. That being the situation, I cannot persuade myself to any code to this notice of question of privilege against Home Minister Amit Shah… I have declined with a deep sense of anguish and pain that we rush to invoke breach of privilege, we rush to the media and give it traction, try to tarnish the image, and I have said on multiple occasions this house will not be a platform to ruin the reputations of people. We have to protect.”

While reading the cited press release, Dhankar said, “The press release issued by Press Information Bureau in January 24, 1948 says, “I (Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru) am therefore starting a fund “Prime Minister National Relief Fund”… It will be managed by the Prime Minister, the President of the Indian National Congress, the Deputy PM and some other members.”

On Wednesday, Congress Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh submitted a privilege notice against Union Home Minister Amit Shah. In his notice to the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, the Congress leader alleged that the Home Minister had made unfounded allegations against the Chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party with “a premeditated motive to malign her reputation.”

Jairam Ramesh cited Union Home Minister Amit Shah reply to the debate on the Disaster Management Bill, 2024 on March 25, 2025.

“The Home Minister’s statement is blatantly false and is defamatory. This is tantamount to breach of privilege of Smt. Sonia Gandhi. Hence, this matter constitutes a breach of privilege and the contempt of the House as well,” the Congress chief whip in Rajya Sabha said.

Quoting the Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s speech during his reply to the debate on Disaster Management Bill 2024 on March 25, the Congress claimed that he had said, ” The PM relief fund was made during the Congress regime, and during this government tenure, the PM Cares fund was started. During the Congress regime only one family had control and the Congress president was the member of this. The Congress President a part of a Government fund, what reply will they give to the people of this country. Does not anyone read or see this?”

This the Congress argued constructed a breach of privilege. The notice on the breach of privilege was given under terms of Rule 188 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) “for casting aspersions on Sonia Gandhi.

The Congress leader said that even though the Home Minister didn’t take the name of Sonia Gandhi but he had categorically by implication referred to her and imputed motives to her vis-a-vis the functioning of the National Prime Minister’s Relief Fund (NPMRF).

It is well established that it is breach of privilege and contempt of the House to cast reflections or make derogatory references to any member of the House, the Congress leader said. (ANI)