'Committed no breach of RS privilege by seeking its abolition'

BJP MLA Vijender Gupta on Thursday rejected the allegation of having committed breach of privilege by favouring “abolition” of Rajya Sabha in an article but said he was ready expressing regret, as he responded to a notice by the Delhi Assembly Speaker on the issue.

Gupta said the allegation made was “vague” and that there was not even a prima facie case for drawing an inference that he had committed a breach of privilege of the Upper House.

He contended that the provision of privilege cannot be used to “suppress and silence” reasonable criticism and opinion.

Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel had last month sought an explanation from Gupta following a communication from Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari to initiate necessary action against him for allegedly favouring “abolition” of the Upper House.

Ansari had asked the Delhi Speaker to take necessary action against Gupta holding that “the matter seems to involve prima facie question of privilege”, while acting on a complaint by JD (U) MP K C Tyagi, who accused the BJP MLA of casting aspersions on the members of Rajya Sabha.

Referring to a newspaper article written by Gupta, who is the Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, Tyagi alleged that the BJP MLA sought to underline the differences between the two Houses of Parliament and had suggested abolition of the Rajya Sabha.

“I had absolutely no ill will or disrespect either towards the honourable institution of the Upper House or for that matter against any of its honourable members. I hold the both in my highest esteem.