RS chairman asks privilege panel to investigate 'disorderly conduct' of 12 opposition MPs

Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar has asked a parliamentary committee to investigate the alleged breach of privilege by 12 opposition MPs from the Congress and the AAP for repeatedly entering the well of the House, shouting slogans and obstructing its proceedings.

According to a Rajya Sabha bulletin, nine of the MPs are from the Congress and three from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). The Congress MPs are Shaktisinh Gohil, Naranbhai J Rathwa, Syed Nasir Hussain, Kumar Ketkar, Imran Prattapgarhi, L Hanumanthaiah, Phulo Devi Netam, Jebi Mather Hisham and Ranjeet Ranjan.

The AAP members are Sanjay Singh, Sushil Kumar Gupta and Sandeep Kumar Pathak. In the bulletin dated February 18, the Rajya Sabha Secretariat said, "...the Chairman...has referred a question of alleged breach of privilege arising out of gross disorderly conduct displayed by (the MPs)....in violation of rules and etiquette of Rajya Sabha by repeatedly entering the well of the council, shouting slogans and persistently and wilfully obstructing the proceedings of the council, compelling the Chair to repeatedly adjourn the sittings of the Council."

The Rajya Sabha saw repeated disruptions due to protests by the opposition MPs over various issues during the first leg of the Budget Session which concluded earlier this months.

In another notice, the Rajya Sabha Secretariat said, "...members are informed that the Chairman, Rajya Sabha has referred a question of alleged breach of privilege arising out of non-adherence to the directions of the Chair vis-a-vis repeated submission of identical notices under rule 267 by Shri Sanjay Singh, Member, Rajya Sabha, under rule 203 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) to the Committee of Privileges for examination, investigation and report."