'Utterly disparaging': Congress urges Om Birla to expunge BJP MP Nishikant Dubey's remarks against Sonia, Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi: Congress Whip Manickam Tagore has submitted a letter seeking to expunge the “utterly disparaging and derogatory” remarks made by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey against top leaders of his party Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi in the Lok Sabha.

In a letter to Speaker Om Birla, the Congress MP said Dubey made the remarks during Zero Hour on Thursday in gross violations of the Rules of Procedures and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha.

Dubey alleged that Rahul and Sonia had links to US billionaire George Soros, who is claimed to have funded organisations that work against the interests of the country. He asked what the relationship between Sonia and Soros was, while alleging that expenses for Rahul’s US trips were funded by an organisation, which received funds from Soros.

Dubey also claimed Soros is the major funder of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation. The Congress had earlier denied the allegations but Dubey’s repeated accusations had led to brief adjournments of Lok Sabha.

In his letter, Tagore said the comments were “derogatory and imputing false and damaging motives and casting aspersions” on Leader of Opposition Raul Gandhi and Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi. He also said, “so much so that aspersions have also been cast on late Rajiv Gandhi, former Prime Minister of India”.

Citing Rule 352 that disallows a member from making an allegation imputing motive to or questioning the bonafides of any other member and use of expressions, as well as Rule 380 that empowers Speaker to expunge offensive words, Tagore urged the Birla to expunge the remarks.

Earlier, the Congress also asked the Speaker to look into Dubey getting a chance to speak during Zero Hour continuously while urging that a level playing mechanism be evolved. Dubey has been raising the issue of alleged links between Congress and Soros.