New Delhi: The Congress is deliberating the introduction of a no-confidence movement in opposition to Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla — albeit a ‘symbolic’ one — over the problem of former celebration president Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification from the Decrease Home of Parliament, ThePrint has learnt.
The concept was floated by senior Congress chief P. Chidambaram at a gathering of the Congress Parliamentary Get together (CPP) Monday, stated a Congress MP who attended the assembly and didn’t want to be named. The assembly was chaired by CPP chairperson Sonia Gandhi.
In accordance with Parliament guidelines, a no-confidence movement could be launched solely within the Decrease Home and must be supported by at the least 50 Lok Sabha MPs to be thought-about. As soon as it’s launched, the Speaker can allot a date for discussing the movement however inside 10 days from the date of introduction.
Different like-minded opposition events are being approached to return collectively and transfer the movement however their responses are awaited, stated the Member of Parliament quoted earlier.
A second Congress MP who was additionally on the CPP assembly stated the no-confidence movement is “most positively on the playing cards and could also be launched Monday” within the Decrease Home. “There’s a distinctive drawback that we face, there are some events with us who’re solely current within the Rajya Sabha, however shouldn’t have an MP within the Lok Sabha,” the legislator added.
At the very least three different opposition events, together with the Trinamool Congress (TMC), have confirmed to ThePrint that they’ve been approached by the Congress concerning the no-confidence movement and have been contemplating the identical.
Nonetheless, the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC, which has been cold and hot with the Congress in current occasions, is more likely to oppose the movement. “We wish the assault to be persistently on Modi, Shah and the BJP. Nobody else. A no-confidence movement in opposition to a constitutional place might not be the easiest way to go ahead,” stated a TMC chief who didn’t want to be named.
The TMC, whereas disagreeing with the Congress’ demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into allegations in opposition to the Adani Group, had come out in assist of Rahul Gandhi after his disqualification. The Trinamool has been pushing for a Supreme Courtroom-monitored probe into the findings of US-based quick vendor Hindenburg Analysis.
Leaders of the Trinamool Congress have been additionally amongst these current at a dinner for opposition leaders organised at Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence Monday. At the very least 17 different opposition events have been represented on the dinner excluding the Shiv Sena (UBT) which has objected to Gandhi’s remarks in opposition to V.D. Savarkar.
Requested concerning the proposed no-confidence movement, Congress common secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh refused to both affirm or deny that the celebration was contemplating such a measure. At a press convention held on the AICC headquarters in Delhi Tuesday, Ramesh stated points with the Shiv Sena have been being “labored out”.
When identified that there are 4 working days left earlier than Parliament is to be adjourned sine die for the continuing Finances session, a 3rd Congress MP stated that the no-confidence movement, if launched, can be “symbolic”.
Congress sources stated the celebration’s high authorized minds are engaged on a draft movement.
One of many grounds on which the celebration will transfer the movement would be the lack of the President’s assent which — in accordance with Article 103 (1) of the Structure — ought to have been sought earlier than the disqualification, sources added. The article states that the choice to disqualify an MP lies with the President. Part (2) of the identical article says that the Election Fee have to be consulted earlier than the President takes a name on disqualification.
Sources inside the celebration additionally stated that the Congress continues to be deliberating on different arguments that may be put forth.
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Month-long ‘Jai Bharat Satyagraha’
Additional, the Congress celebration has introduced its plan to carry a month-long agitation — ‘Jai Bharat Satyagraha’ — to protest Rahul’s disqualification and the central authorities’s refusal to type a JPC to probe allegations in opposition to the Adani Group.
“Because the conviction (of Rahul Gandhi in a 2019 felony defamation case), our whole cadre has been out on the streets. Not solely our cadre, however we’re additionally getting assist from most people throughout India,” Congress common secretary (Organisation) Ok.C. Venugopal stated Tuesday, whereas addressing the press convention with Jairam Ramesh.
“Rahul Gandhi will not be frightened about his home,” he added, reacting to a discover despatched to the disqualified MP from Kerala’s Wayanad asking him to vacate his official bungalow at 12 Tughlak Lane inside 30 days. The discover was despatched by the Lok Sabha Home Committee chaired by Navsari MP and Gujarat Bharatiya Janata Get together (BJP) chief C.R. Paatil.
“However this whole course of is a means of making an attempt to intimidate him (Rahul) as a result of he has been talking in opposition to the Adani rip-off,” Venugopal alleged.
He added that the ‘Jai Bharat Satyagraha’ might be an extension of the day-long nationwide ‘Sankalp Satyagraha’ organised by the celebration Sunday and can start on 28 March.
Between then and 9 April, block and mandal stage committees of the celebration will organise satyagrahas (non-violent sit-ins) throughout the nation. “There might be clear-cut nook conferences on the block stage and mandal stage to focus on the vindictive politics of the Modi authorities and the loot of Adani rip-off,” stated Venugopal.
On 1 April, the celebration’s SC/ST, OBC and minority cells will organise a satyagraha in entrance of an Ambedkar statue in every state. Thereafter, on 6 April, the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) and the Nationwide College students’ Union of India (NSUI) — youth and scholar wings of the Congress respectively — will maintain a postcard marketing campaign in opposition to Prime minister Narendra Modi and ship postcards to the PMO asking for a JPC probe into the “Adani rip-off”.
From 15 to twenty April, district committees of the celebration will organise satyagrahas, adopted by a state-level satyagraha in every state from 21 to 30 April. A national-level ‘Jai Bharat Satyagraha’ may also be organised within the nationwide capital within the second week of April.
The Congress can also be hoping to succeed in out to different opposition events and members of the civil society to hitch the protests.
Furthermore, a struggle room might be arrange in every state, in addition to one in Delhi, to observe the protests. “We might be on the sphere for one month. We’re not scared. We are going to increase the Adani rip-off which the federal government has been working away from, in Parliament,” stated Venugopal.
(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)
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