Odisha MP Sasmit Patra & 4 Other RS Members Accuse Raghav Chadha Of ‘Fraud’

New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Raghav Chadha found himself in a soup after five Rajya Sabha members, including Sasmit Patra of the BJD, alleged that their “forged signatures” were added to the proposed select committee on the Delhi Services Bill.

Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh has announced a probe into the complaints.

On Monday, Chadha moved a motion against the Delhi Services Bill with the signatures of five MPs, wh0 later claimed that they were neither consulted nor informed about their inclusion in the proposed committee. Besides Sasmit Patra, Narhani Amin and Sudhanshu Trivedi of BJP, M Thambidurai of AIADMK, and Phangon Konyak lodged complaints against the AAP leader.

“At the time when resolutions were being moved in the House (during the discussion on the Delhi Services Bill), I learned that my name was mentioned in a resolution moved by Raghav Chadha. How could he put my name in the resolution without my consent? I hope the Chairman of the House will take action. I have tendered a complaint. Obviously, this is a matter of privilege. All of us have filed our complaints individually,” the BJD MP told ANI.

After the deputy chairman read out the names to be included in the proposed select committee, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that the Parliament’s privilege committee must investigate the motion moved by Chadha that has names of MPs who never signed the same.  “Two MPs are now claiming that they did not second it. Sasmit Patra of the BJD said he never gave consent for inclusion in the motion. How could his name be taken,” he said.

Responding to the allegations, Chadha said, “Let a privilege committee send me a notice. I will give my answer to the committee.”

The AAP contended  that the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States, which has been quoted by Members moving privilege against Raghav Chadha nowhere provides that there is a requirement of written consent or signature of the member whose name has been proposed to be included to the Select Committee, the ANI reported.

Congress MP Shakti Singh Gohil also said, “…There is a law that if I am moving (the proposal to send Delhi NCT Amendment Bill to select committee), there is no compulsion to take consent of the member who has to be in the committee. If the member does not want to be on the committee, their name will be removed automatically. There is no provision to take the signature of any member whose name has been mentioned in the proposal.”