Lok Sabha Secretariat seeks Rahul Gandhi’s reply to BJP privilege complaints

The Lok Sabha secretariat has sought Rahul Gandhi’s response by August 28 to separate privilege complaints filed by BJP MPs Anurag Thakur and Sanjay Jaiswal over his remarks against Home Minister Amit Shah during debate on the anti-paper leak Bill

New Delhi: The Lok Sabha secretariat has sought a response from Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi on two separate complaints of “breach of privilege” filed by BJP MPs Anurag Thakur and Sanjay Jaiswal for his remarks against Home Minister Amit Shah during the debate on the anti-paper leak bill.

The secretariat has asked Gandhi to submit his response to the allegations against him by August 28. Jaiswal, who is also the chief whip of the BJP in the Lok Sabha, shared a copy of the Lok Sabha secretariat’s communication to Gandhi as well as his complaint against the LoP, alleging that the Congress leader’s remarks made in the House against Shah during the debate were “unparliamentary”. In his complaint, the BJP chief whip sought appropriate action against Gandhi under the rules of procedure in his letter of July 29 to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who referred the complaint to the Privileges Committee of the House.

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In his complaint of July 30, Thakur also accused Gandhi of using “unparliamentary and derogatory language”, and claimed that the LoP had levelled grave allegations against the home minister during the debate without adequate advance notice to him, which he claimed was against House rules.

He also alleged breach of privilege and contempt of the House by Gandhi for his remarks against Shah. “I have been directed to forward herewith a copy each of the notices, dated 29 July, 2026 and 30 July, 2026 of question of breach of privilege given by Dr Sanjay Jaiswal, MP and Anurag Singh Thakur, MP respectively against your goodself on the above subject.

“I am, therefore, to request you kindly to furnish your reply/comments in the matter by 28 August, 2026 for the kind consideration of the Hon’ble Speaker, Lok Sabha,” a letter by the joint secretary of the privileges committee of the Lok Sabha said.

Sharing the letter of the Lok Sabha secretariat sent to Gandhi, Jaiswal said in a post on X in Hindi, “I had submitted a notice regarding a breach of privilege concerning the objectionable remarks made by Rahul Gandhi against the Hon’ble Home Minister, Shri Amit Shah, as these comments violated the dignity of the Member of Parliament (Shah) and decorum of Parliament.”

“I am grateful to the Hon’ble Speaker of the Lok Sabha for taking cognisance of my notice and referring the matter to the Privileges Committee. The committee has granted Rahul Gandhi an opportunity to submit his explanation by August 28,” the BJP chief whip said.

“I am fully confident that the Committee will take appropriate action in this matter to ensure that no Member of Parliament attempts to undermine the dignity and decorum of the House in the future,” Jaiswal said. The Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 passed by both houses of Parliament after an elaborate debate has now become a law.