Rajya Sabha Chairman Dismisses Privilege Notice Against Amit Shah Over Historical Fund Claim
In a decisive ruling on Thursday, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar dismissed a privilege notice targeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The notice, lodged by Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh, accused Shah of maligning Congress Parliamentary Party leader Sonia Gandhi with remarks made during a parliamentary debate.
The controversy stemmed from Shah’s statements on March 25 while addressing the Disaster Management Bill, 2024 in the Rajya Sabha. Shah had referenced the involvement of a Congress leader in managing the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF). Following his initial comments, Shah substantiated his claim by pointing to a 1948 government press release.
According to Dhankhar, Shah cited a Press Information Bureau statement from January 24, 1998, which detailed an announcement by then-Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. The release outlined the creation of the PMNRF, managed by a committee that included the Prime Minister, the president of the Indian National Congress, and other designated members.
After a thorough review, Dhankhar concluded that Shah’s remarks did not constitute a breach of privilege. “I have carefully gone through it. I find there has been no transgression,” he stated, formally rejecting the notice.
