Mumbai: The Shiv Sena moved a breach of privilege motion against Republic TV’s Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on Tuesday.
A privilege motion was also moved against actress Kangana Ranaut over her Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) remarks.
On the second day of Monsoon Session, Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik accused Arnab of using “derogatory language” and making baseless remarks against Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and NCP president Sharad Pawar, the Indian Express reported.
Sarnaik also said that Goswami has been insulting ministers, Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha members during TV debates and making ‘unfounded allegations’ against many in the Sushant Singh Rajput death case which is currently being investigated by the CBI.
“In the name of independent media, he has been maligning the image of the Chief Minister, Pawar saheb and other elected representatives. We condemn this and demand that strict action be initiated by the House,” Sarnaik said.
Amid strong opposition from the BJP benches, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Parab seconded the proposal. “When someone targets the Prime Minister, you get angry. Then why don’t you also feel the same angst when someone wrongfully targets the Chief Minister,” said Parab.
NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal and Samajwadi Party’s Abu Azmi also supported the motion.
Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal then ruled that “action as per legislative rules” be taken on the Sarnaik’s proposal.
When Sarnaik pressed for a statement from the Home Minister, the Opposition objected, with Devendra Fadnavis saying that there were more important matters to be taken up on the last day of the ongoing session.
The house was adjourned thrice — once for ten minutes and twice for half an hour each — over the issue.
Sarnaik later claimed that the motion had been “accepted” by the chair, even though Zirwal’s last ruling on record was to take “appropriate action” in the matter.
A similar motion was moved in the Legislative Council against Goswami by Shiv Sena, while Congress’ Ashok Jagtap moved a privilege motion against Kangana for ‘defaming Mumbai’.
Maharashtra Legislative Council Chairman Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar accepted both the motions.
Also Read: Shiv Sena IT Cell Lodges Complaint Against Kangana Ranaut, Seeks FIR Over PoK Comment
