Anurag Thakur seeks Privileges Committee probe over Rahul Gandhi’s remarks

BJP MP Anurag Thakur submitted a privilege and contempt notice against Rahul Gandhi, alleging use of unparliamentary language and unsubstantiated allegations against Home Minister Amit Shah. He sought a Privileges Committee inquiry and an unconditional apology from the Congress leader

New Delhi: BJP MP Anurag Thakur on Thursday submitted a notice of breach of privilege and contempt of the House to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla against Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi for what he termed as “use of unparliamentary and derogatory language and levelling grave and unsubstantiated allegations” against Home Minister Amit Shah.

In the three-page notice, Thakur also requested Birla to refer this matter to the Privilege Committee for a detailed enquiry and appropriate action, including a direction to Gandhi to tender an unconditional apology to the House as well as to Shah.

---

Referring to the proceedings of the House on July 29, when the debate on the anti-paper leak bill was taking place, Thakur said Gandhi violated Rule 352 while narrating a purported conversation with protesting students.

“Use of unparliamentary and derogatory language (violation of Rule 352):-During his address to the House, Shri Rahul Gandhi, while narrating a purported conversation with a student, categorised persons into three classes, ‘students’, ‘idiots’ and ‘andhbhakts’, the latter two terms being used to characterise citizens and, by clear implication, political opponents and supporters of the government.”

Thakur, an MP from Himachal Pradesh, said this drew immediate objection from the Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, who demanded that the words be expunged as unparliamentary. But still, he said, Gandhi has repeated the words, even after being warned by the chair.

“The terms ‘idiot’ and ‘andhbhakt’ fall squarely within the category of words that successive Lok Sabha Secretariat compilations of unparliamentary expressions have held unfit for use in the House, alongside terms such as ‘foolish’, ‘incompetent’ and other derogatory epithets. Their use is a direct violation of: Rule 352(ii), which bars a member from making personal references by way of imputing a motive to, or questioning the bona fides of, any person unless imperatively necessary to the debate.

“Rule 352(iii), which prohibits the use of offensive expressions,” he said. The BJP said Rule 352(vii), which bars defamatory words directed at any individual or class of persons and terming a section of citizens as “idiots” and “andhbhakts” on the floor of the House is “offensive, derogatory, and demeans the dignity of Parliament, constituting contempt of the House”.

Thakur said Rule 353 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha explicitly provides that no allegation of a defamatory or incriminatory nature shall be made by a member against any person unless the member has given adequate advance notice to the Speaker and also to the minister concerned so that the minister may be able to make an investigation into the matter for the purpose of a reply.

This requirement exists precisely to ensure fairness, that a minister or member accused is given the opportunity to prepare a substantive response rather than being ambushed on the floor of the House.

“Shri Rahul Gandhi levelled grave and unsubstantiated allegations against Union Home Minister, Shri Amit Shah, in the course of his remarks, without furnishing advance notice under Rule 353, and without providing any documentary evidence or credible source to substantiate the claims,” Thakur said.

He said this was not the first instance of such conduct, a similar violation of Rule 352 and Rule 353 was flagged even in respect of remarks made by Gandhi in the past.

By levelling serious charges against the home minister without prior notice, Gandhi has denied the minister a fair opportunity to investigate and respond, thereby violating both the letter and the spirit of Rule 353, and bringing into question the propriety of proceedings before this august House, he said.

Thakur said Gandhi has conducted and behaved in the House in such a manner that it was obstructive in proper discharge of function of members of Lok Sabha individually and collectively as a House.

He said the Congress leader also did not follow the repeated instructions of the Speaker and has “committed Breach of Privilege” of member of Lok Sabha, “Contempt” of Lok Sabha” and “utter disregard” to the authority of the Speaker.

“I therefore request that this Notice of Breach of Privilege and Contempt of the House be admitted under Rule 222, that the offending remarks be expunged from the proceedings under Rule 380, 381, and that the matter be referred to the Committee of Privileges under Rule 227 for detailed inquiry and appropriate action, including a direction that Shri Rahul Gandhi tender an unconditional apology to the House and to the Union Home Minister.

“I remain available to furnish any further particulars, including the official proceedings and video record of the House on July 29, 2026, as may be required by the Chair or the Committee,” Thakur said.

BJP chief whip in Lok Sabha Sanjay Jaiswal also wrote a letter to the Speaker, alleging that Gandhi used expressions and remarks directed against the home minister which were “objectionable, derogatory and inconsistent” with the established conventions of parliamentary discourse.

“While strong criticism of government policy is a legitimate and essential feature of parliamentary democracy, personal attacks and the use of language that is insulting, defamatory or otherwise unparliamentary cannot be permitted within the proceedings of this august House,” he said.

Referring to various provisions of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha, Jaiswal said, “Keeping in view of the above, I earnestly request that any expression found to be unparliamentary, derogatory or violative of the Rules and conventions of the House be ordered to be expunged under Rule 380. Shri Rahul Gandhi be appropriately cautioned and warned by the Chair to maintain the standards of dignity, restraint and decorum expected from a Member of Parliament…”