Rajya Sabha chairman refers complaints against Raghav Chadha to privileges committee

New Delhi: Rajya Sabha (RS) chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Thursday referred a complaint against Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’Brien to the committee of privileges for “publishing clippings of his statement in the House” on social media though they were expunged.
In a separate complaint, the Rajya Sabha chairman has referred the case of AAP MP Raghav Chaddha to the privileges committee for “presenting misleading facts to the media with respect to the suspension of Sanjay Singh, MP.”
Chairman referred these matters to the privileges committee under Rule 203 for examination, investigation and report.
BJP Rajya Sabha members Laxmikant Vajpayee and Surender Nagar have jointly submitted complaint against Derek O’Brien in the Rajya Sabha privilege committee for sharing expunged content through verified social media handle.
“Member repeatedly published clippings of his statement made in the House on July 20, 2023, through his verified personal Twitter handle, despite the fact that they were expunged by the Chairman, Rajya Sabha. He allegedly amplified the expunged statements through a series of tweets posted continuously on a daily basis over a week and allegedly insulted the dignity of the Council and authority of the Chair,” according to the bulletin.
“On consideration of the facts, the Chairman, Rajya Sabha, has referred the matter under Rule 203 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Rajya Sabha to the Committee of Privileges for examination, investigation, and reports, the RS bulletin added.
On July 25, 2023, BJP’s Sushil Kumar Modi and Deepak Prakash, Members, Rajya Sabha, jointly submitted complaint against Raghav Chadha for an alleged intentional and deliberate act of presenting misleading facts to the media on July 24, 2023, with respect to the suspension of Sanjay Singh, MP, from the service of the Council for the remaining period of the 260th (Monsoon) Session of Rajya Sabha for his indecorous behaviour and repeated violation of directions of the Chair.
“The Members have also alleged that the comments made by Raghav Chadha, Member, during the interview, wherein, he had, inter-alia reportedly stated that Sanjay Singh, Member, would continue to sit inside the Chamber despite being suspended from the service of the Council, violate the provisions contained under Rule 256 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) and are an affront to the authority of the Chair and an act of breach of privilege,” a Rajya Sabha bulletin read.
“Raghav Chadha has grossly misrepresented the proceedings of the House,” the bulletin added.