Subramanian Swamy challenges expunging of comments in RS

New Delhi, Apr 29: A defiant Subramanian Swamy has challenged the expunging of his comments by the Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman, calling the decision as arbitrary, unreasonable and against the House rules.

The BJP MP said today that he will also seek breach of privilege proceedings against Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad for "falsely" saying that the UPA government had blacklisted Finmeccanica, the manufacturer of AgustaWestland choppers.

The BJP MP had made certain comments targeting Congress members yesterday while speaking on the issue of minority institution and Rajya Sabha Deputy Dhairman P J Kurien expunged them following vociferous protests from the opposition MPs.

He had told Swamy that he was "unnecessarily provoking others" and asked him to refrain from it. An unrelenting Swamy tweeted today, "I have filed a notice in the RS challenging the expunging of my words by the Dy Chairman since it is arbitrary, unreasonable and against the RS rules."

In another tweet, he said, "Today I will seek to move a Breach of Privilege against Ghulam Nabi Azad for his falsely stating in the RS that the UPA had blacklisted Finmeccanica."

Swami's barbs at Congress have sparked protests in the House since he made his entry as a nominated member and the Chair has expunged some of his remarks, mostly aimed at party chief Sonia Gandhi.

Azad on Thursday said Swamy is just two days old in the House and his remarks have already been expunged twice.

"There are 365 days in a year, how many times are you going to expunge his words," he asked the Chair. The Congress leader said Swamy does not know the difference between street language and parliamentary words. "He does not allow his hair to grey so he can learn and mature.

PTI