Rajya Sabha Chairman summons CPI(M) leader over article critical of Amit Shah
The Hindu
CPI(M) MP John Brittas was summoned by the Rajya Sabha Chairman after he wrote in an article, “I am astonished by the way BJP drags the constitutional positions into parochial political battles.”
Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar has summoned CPI(M) MP John Brittas and asked him to explain on an article he wrote for English daily The Indian Express critical of Home Minister Amit Shah.
In the piece titled “Perils of Propaganda” appeared on February 20, Mr. Brittas accused the Home Minister of making frequent negative remarks against Kerala, adding that this betrays a “dislike” for a State where the BJP has “miserably failed in garnering electoral gains through its usual set of divisive tricks and polarising poll strategies.”
On March 6, the MP got a letter from the Vice-President’s office summoning him in regard to a “complaint” that they have received about his article. The complaint was filed by general secretary of the BJP’s Kerala unit, P. Sudheer who called the piece “divisive” and sought “suitable action” against his “seditious conduct.” A second reminder was sent to him on April 17.
On April 19, the MP met the Vice-President. Both the Vice-President’s office and Mr. Brittas remain mum about the interaction.
Mr. Brittas told The Hindu that the meeting was cordial and Mr. Dhankhar gave him a patient hearing. “I am, in fact, more astonished and baffled by the way BJP drags the constitutional positions into parochial political battles,” he said.
The Rajya Sabha secretariat has denied that the MP has been served a “show-cause” notice or a written explanation has been sought. The letter seeking his presence was only for an oral explanation, it insisted.
Many Opposition leaders have reacted sharply on the issue.
While residents are worried over deaths due to diarrhoea in Vijayawada, officials still grapple to find the root cause. Contaminated drinking water supplied by VMC officials is the reason, insist people in the affected areas, but officials insist that efforts are on to identify the disease and that those with symptoms other than diarrhoea too are visiting the health camps.