<p>With Congress gunning for HRD Minister Smriti Irani with a Privilege Motion, BJP today hit back in Lok Sabha by pressing for similar action against the opposition party's Chief Whip Jyotiraditya Scindia for "defamatory" remarks against Minister Bandaru Dattatreya.<br /><br /></p>.<p>BJP's Chief Whip Arjun Ram Meghwal accused Scindia of "misleading" the House on February 24 by alleging that Dattatreya had called Rohith Vemula, a Dalit student of Hyderabad University who committed suicide, "anti-national, casteist and extremist".<br /><br />Meghwal said he and many other members, including Dattatreya, had given a notice of breach of privilege against Scindia.<br /><br />He raised the issue amid uproarious scenes in the House as AIADMK members were demanding action against former Union Minister P Chidambaram's son Karti in the Aircel-Maxis issue.<br /><br />At this, Congress members too rushed to the Well, demanding that the Speaker decide on their privilege motion.<br /><br />Dattatreya accused Scindia of "defaming him and tarnishing" his image by attributing such comments to him that he never made about Vemula.<br /><br />"My mother used to sell onions. I have always worked for OBCs, Dalits... I have made sacrifices for Dalits," he said, recalling his humble background and work for the downtrodden.<br /><br />He said his letter to Irani, over which he has been attacked by Congress, made no mention of Vemula's name. "I never made such charge against him."<br /><br />Congress members continued to protest with K C Venugopal showing the rule book to Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to which she shot back, saying "Don't show me the rule book. I know."<br /><br />She repeatedly tried to pacify the members saying all the notices for privilege motion are under her consideration.<br /><br />With AIADMK and Congress members continuing to protest, she adjourned the House.<br /><br />The issue of privilege motion against Irani had created a brief uproar in the Lok Sabha yesterday before Finance Minister Arun Jaitely started presenting the Union Budget 2016-17 with opposition members seeking to know the status of their notices against Irani for "misleading" the House on the Rohith Vemula issue. <br /><br /></p>
<p>With Congress gunning for HRD Minister Smriti Irani with a Privilege Motion, BJP today hit back in Lok Sabha by pressing for similar action against the opposition party's Chief Whip Jyotiraditya Scindia for "defamatory" remarks against Minister Bandaru Dattatreya.<br /><br /></p>.<p>BJP's Chief Whip Arjun Ram Meghwal accused Scindia of "misleading" the House on February 24 by alleging that Dattatreya had called Rohith Vemula, a Dalit student of Hyderabad University who committed suicide, "anti-national, casteist and extremist".<br /><br />Meghwal said he and many other members, including Dattatreya, had given a notice of breach of privilege against Scindia.<br /><br />He raised the issue amid uproarious scenes in the House as AIADMK members were demanding action against former Union Minister P Chidambaram's son Karti in the Aircel-Maxis issue.<br /><br />At this, Congress members too rushed to the Well, demanding that the Speaker decide on their privilege motion.<br /><br />Dattatreya accused Scindia of "defaming him and tarnishing" his image by attributing such comments to him that he never made about Vemula.<br /><br />"My mother used to sell onions. I have always worked for OBCs, Dalits... I have made sacrifices for Dalits," he said, recalling his humble background and work for the downtrodden.<br /><br />He said his letter to Irani, over which he has been attacked by Congress, made no mention of Vemula's name. "I never made such charge against him."<br /><br />Congress members continued to protest with K C Venugopal showing the rule book to Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to which she shot back, saying "Don't show me the rule book. I know."<br /><br />She repeatedly tried to pacify the members saying all the notices for privilege motion are under her consideration.<br /><br />With AIADMK and Congress members continuing to protest, she adjourned the House.<br /><br />The issue of privilege motion against Irani had created a brief uproar in the Lok Sabha yesterday before Finance Minister Arun Jaitely started presenting the Union Budget 2016-17 with opposition members seeking to know the status of their notices against Irani for "misleading" the House on the Rohith Vemula issue. <br /><br /></p>