'No Question Of...': AAP's Rebuttal on Amit Shah's Fraud Claim Against Motion Moved by Raghav Chadha

Amid allegations of fraud in a motion moved by Aam Aadmi Party’s Raghav Chadha, the Arvind Kejriwal-led party has clarified that the rules of the proceedings state ‘no written consent or signature of the member whose name has been proposed’. And hence, there’s no question of any allegation of “forged signature”, the AAP added.

The clarification came after Union home minister Amit Shah alleged that five Rajya Sabha members complained that their names were included in a proposed select committee of the House for the Delhi Services Bill without their signatures, in the proposal moved by Raghav Chadha.

“Who all have signed on their behalf is a subject of investigation,” the Union home minister said, and requested the Chair to record the statements of the complainant members.

After Shah’s demand that the matter be investigated by Parliament’s Privilege Committee, Rajya Sabha deputy chairman Harivansh on Monday announced a probe into the complaints.

“Four members have sent a complaint to me. It will be inquired into,” said Harivansh. The MPs are Narhani Amin, Sudhanshu Trivedi, Sasmit Patra, Thambidurai and Phangon Konyak.

Sources in the Aam Aadmi Party later issued a clarification on the matter. “The Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States, which has been quoted by Members moving privilege against Raghav Chadha nowhere provides that there is a requirement of a written consent or signature of the member whose name has been proposed to be included to the Select Committee,” the sources said.

They added, “The names of complainant MPs were given in good faith with a view that they have been participating on the discussion concerning the Bill, inside and outside Parliament.” It was taken that these MPs would continue to be members of select committee to discuss the Bill even further, a source said.

The sources further said that the rules clearly state that names of the members can be withdrawn in case they have no intention of being a part of the select committee. “Only presumption of consent or inclination of a member to be part of the select committee is required. No written contest or signature is required anywhere. There was no intention on the part of Raghav Chadha to corner any member,” the AAP added.

Supporting AAP on the issue, Congress MP MP Shakti Singh Gohil too said that if a member does not want to be on the committee, his/her name will be removed automatically. “There is no provision to take the signature of any member whose name has been mentioned in the proposal,” the lawmaker added.

The Aam Aadmi Party said that select committees are “non-partisan committees” comprising of members of all major parties. “It is a long standing Parliamentary convention and precedent that while constituting a select committee on a Bill, diverse representation is ensured by including members of all major political parties in the committee whether from the ruling party or opposition,” sources in the party added.

Slamming Union home minister, AAP lawmaker Sanjay Singh said, “Don’t you know the rules of Parliament proceedings? Any member can propose his/her colleague’s name for the select committee and you don’t need signatures. Stop spreading lies. Your party’s job is to spread falsehood but why lie on every issue?”

Singh further said, “And don’t you even know that you can’t name a person who is not a part of Parliament? You were continuously spewing fire against Kejriwal in the House. So at least, you people shouldn’t teach others about House privilege.”