Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra on Thursday moved a breach of privilege motion in the Lok Sabha against a private Hindi news channel and its Editor for reporting that her first speech in Parliament was plagiarised.
When she raised the issue during Question Hour, Speaker Om Birla informed her that he had received a notice and the matter was under his consideration.
However, when she named the channel and the Editor, Mr. Birla didn’t allow it as the journalist was not a member of the House. After drawing praise on social media for her speech, the Trinamool MP was trolled on allegations of plagiarism.
“The reason there is so much of mudslinging and lies sold as news to the unsuspecting public all over is because the perpetrators are allowed impunity by the powers that be,” Ms. Moitra tweeted.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told the House that Puducherry Lt. Governor Kiran Bedi had expressed her ‘deep regret’ over her controversial tweet on the water crisis in Chennai and urged it to put the matter to rest.
The Minister said the Home Ministry had taken notice of Ms. Bedi’s remarks — in which she blamed “corrupt politics” of Tamil Nadu for the water crisis in Chennai — and said the matter was also raised in the House by DMK leader T.R. Baalu on Wednesday.
For the second day, when DMK leader T.R. Baalu raised the issue Ms. Bedi’s controversial tweet regarding water scarcity in Tamil Nadu, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh intervened to say Ms Bedi has apologised and the matter should be treated as closed.
Reading out her statement, Mr Singh said she had tweeted in her personal capacity and later deleted it.
“However, I admit it was avoidable and I should not have shared it in public in this manner.I too realise it. I have therefore deleted my sharing,” Mr. Singh quoted Ms. Bedi as saying and added that she had the highest regard for the people of Tamil Nadu.
Leader of Congress Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury charged Ms Bedi of the people of the State “in an outrageous manner” and wanted the Lower House to adopt a resolution on the issue.
Congress leaders not amused
While speaking about regularising the ‘unauthorised colonies’ in Delhi, BJP MP Ramesh Bhiduri referred to former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and said the party won the 2008 Assembly polls because the Congress did nautanki (drama) of regularising them. While Ms Gandhi smiled, her younger colleagues were agitated for the use of the Hindi word depicting drama.
Educated Speaker
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla chided Aam Admi Party (AAP) Bhagwant Mann when the AAP lawmaker changed the subject of his Zero Hour mention from salaries of teachers in Punjab to difficulties faced by NRIs in Indian embassies abroad.
“If you want to change the subject during Zero Hour, then you have to take my permission. You have given the subject of regarding... ‘salaries of teachers in Punjab’. I am a padha-likha (educated) Speaker,” Mr. Birla said, prompting the AAP MP to apologise.
‘Doctors are national heroes’
Speaking about the recent attacks on doctors during the Zero Hour, BJP MP Hema Malini said doctors are national heroes and assets and those who attack them should be blacklisted.
