Priyanka Gandhi Vadra
NEW DELHI: Women MPs belonging to Congress told Speaker Om Birla Monday that under pressure from the govt, he made “false, baseless and defamatory allegations” that PM Modi faced potential threat from them, because of which he did not come to LS to reply to the motion of thanks. In a letter to Birla, the MPs said he made the allegations a day later under govt pressure “to defend the non-appearance of the PM”, arguing that “questioning our integrity is a attack on every woman who earns her place in public life with dignity and courage”. “His (PM) absence from the House was not due to any threat from us, it was an act of fear. He did not have the courage to face the opposition,” said the letter, signed by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, S Jothimani, R Sudha, Geniben Thakor, Varsha Gaikwad and Jyotsna Mahant. Rubbishing the idea that women members could have indulged in violence, Rahul Gandhi told reporters if any member did threaten, the govt should file an FIR and arrest that MP. The letter questioning the Speaker’s impartiality, with a remark like “you are no longer the decision maker”, marks a sharp escalation of tension that has prevailed between the governing camp-Speaker and the opposition during the Budget session. “It is amply clear that you are under sustained pressure from the ruling party. We urge you once again to act as impartial custodian of the Lok Sabha,” they wrote, adding, “let history remember you as one who stood for what was right in the most trying circumstances… let it not remember you as one who bowed to pressure from those who leave no stone unturned in subverting constitutional values and damaging the democratic fabric of our nation.” The MPs said while LoP Rahul Gandhi was not allowed to speak for four days and eight opposition MPs were suspended, a BJP MP was allowed to speak in a “vulgar and obscene manner against former PMs”, an unnamed reference to Nishikant Dubey’s speech. They claimed Birla had agreed that a wrong had happened but left Congress’ demand for Dubey’s suspension to be decided by ruling party.
