Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha Raghav Chadha was subject to serious accusations on the night when Delhi Services Bill 2023 was passed in the Upper House of the Parliament. Raghav Chadha's name was called out by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah himself after 4 MPs namely Sasmit Patra (Biju Janata Dal), S Phangnon Konyak (BJP), M Thambidurai (AIADMK) and Narhari Amin (BJP), alleged that the AAP leader included their names in the proposed Select Committee without their consent. They further accused Raghav Chadha of forging their signatures in front of their names on the paper moved to propose the select committee. The accusations had sparked a huge uproar with Union Home Minister Amit Shah asking the chair to report the accusations to the privilege committee of the parliament. Following that Raghav Chadha was confronted by the media outside the parliament and he said that he will reply in due course of time and let the MPs approach to the privilege committee. Now, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha on Thursday addressed a press conference and exposed the 'lies' spread by the BJP against him.
Addressing a press conference in which AAP leader Sanjay Singh was also present, Raghav Chadha challenged the BJP and the Modi government to present the piece of paper where he allegedly forged signatures of MPs without their consent. He said, "BJP's mantra is to repeat a lie thousands of times till it becomes the truth. Under this mantra propaganda initiated against me that I have forged signatures. Normally it has been seen that when the committee of privileges starts proceedings against any member then that person does not give any public statement. But, I have been forced to come out publically and expose the lies of the BJP. The parliament runs by a rule book and this rule book says that to form a select committee any MP can nominate any MP's name. If one MP proposes another MP's name then he/she neither needs their signatures nor their written consent. Therefore, the rule book does not say that you need the signature or consent of the MPs to propose their name in the select committee. But the propaganda of forgery of signatures was run against me. When there are no signatures needed and signatures were taken then rumours of forgery of signatures are only baseless and lies. I challenge the BJP leaders to bring the paper on which forged signatures were done."
"Attempt to revoke Raghav Chadha's Rajya Sabha membership," says Sanjay Singh
During the press conference, Sanjay Singh also lashed out at the BJP and the Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He said, "You are the Home Minister of India. A number 2 leader after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have some general knowledge. In the select committee, anyone can nominate anyone's name. You don't need a signature for this. Your only wish is to revoke the Rajya Sabha membership of Raghav Chadha just like you did with Rahul Gandhi in the Lok Sabha. But we are from Arvind Kejriwal's AAP Party. If at all you succeed in revoking our membership, we will come again after being elected by the people. "
What is a select committee?
As explained by Raghav Chadha in the press conference, a select committee is a committee made up of a small number of parliamentary members appointed to deal with particular areas or issues. As per Chadha, a select committee is formed to discuss amendments in a particular bill if the MPs think it is controversial. Any sitting MP can nominate or propose any other MP in the committee without their consent. If he or she does want their name they can simply back out.
Delhi Services Bill passed by Parliament, with Rajya Sabha's clearance
For the unversed, the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023 was passed by the Parliament on Monday, with the Rajya Sabha clearing the law with 131 votes in favour and 102 votes against. The Bill was passed after voting was done through slips after a technical glitch in automated voting machine. Union Home Minister Akmit Shah while replying on the Bill in the Upper House said that two members (BJD's Sasmit Patra and BJP's Dr Sudhanshu Trivedi) are saying that they have not signed the motion (to be part of select committee) moved by AAP's Raghav Chadha. Following the remarks by Shah, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh said that four MPs have written to him that no consent has been given by them and it will be enquired into. AIADMK member Dr. M. Thambidurai also claimed that he has not signed on the paper and this is a matter of privilege