TMC moves privilege motion against Kiren Rijiju over ‘unworthy of House’ barb at Opposition MPs

Ghose, who is the deputy leader in the Upper House, said that the Union Minister insulted the members of the opposition.

Trinamool Congress MP Sagarika Ghose submitted a privilege motion notice against Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday for allegedly making a derogatory remark against opposition leaders in the Rajya Sabha.

Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju speaks in the Rajya Sabha during the Winter Session of Parliament, in New Delhi on Wednesday.(ANI)

The notice, moved by the journalist-turned-politician, has been signed by 60 leaders from opposition parties, PTI reported.

"Yesterday in the house, addressing the opposition, Mr. Rijiju said you all are not worthy of being in this house... The Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Mr. Kiren Rijiju, instead of doing his best to run Parliament smoothly, has chosen to repeatedly insult the opposition," Ghose was quoted by PTI as saying.

Ghose, who is TMC's deputy leader in the Upper House, alleged that the Union minister insulted the members of the opposition both in the House and outside. She said that the conduct was totally unbecoming of his office and amounts to ‘misuse of his position’.

What did Kiren Rijiju say?

Kiren Rijiju had said on Wednesday that the opposition MPs were "not worthy of being in the House". He was hitting out at opposition parties over their attacks on Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar.

"If you cannot respect the chair you have no right to be a member of this House," Rijiju said.

Sixty MPs from the opposition INDIA bloc on Tuesday submitted a notice in the Rajya Sabha for moving a no-confidence motion against Dhankhar. They have accused him of being "extremely partisan" in his role as the chairman of the Upper House.

The proceedings of the Rajya Sabha were affected to Thursday as the uproar over several issues, including the no confidence motion against the Vice President, continued.

The House saw a couple of adjournments and reconvened at 2 PM but the members continued their protest. The Chairman adjourned the House till the morning of Friday, without much business conducted even as the Lok Sabha continued with its business.