Sitaram Yechury has written a Letter to Rajya Sabha Chairman claiming Breach of Privilege by Mamata Banerjee, the railway Minister. He mentioned the statement recorded in the proceedings as “Re. clarification on speech of Km. Mamata Banerjee at a political rally at Lalgarh”. He says that “two assertions in this statement which constitute a gross misrepresentation of facts. This is tantamount to misleading the House.”
Yechury states that the formal letter seeking permission for holding the said rally states that the “Permission for holding a public meeting at Lalgarh High School ground on 9th August ’10 from 12 noon by honourable Railway Minister, Government of India, Smt. Mamata Banerjee”. But, as per the statement in the Rajya Sabha, Mamata Banerjee has clarified that she addressed that rally in her capacity as the leader of the Trinamul Congress.
He further stated that that rally was organized by a forum called “Forum of Citizens against Violence”. The permission for the said rally was sought by one Pranab Basu, President, Paschim Mednipur District Trinamul Congress Committee through a letter addressed to the District Magistratte on July 23, 2010. The said permission was granted by Narayan Swaroop Nigam, IAS on August 3, 2010, through a letter, No. 773-DM, addressed to Pranab Basu, President, Paschim Mednipur District Trinamul Congress Committee.
He also questioned the Railway Ministry’s order of the deployment of the Railways Protection Force at the venue. “Surely, a Minister of the Union Cabinet, addressing a political meeting in her personal capacity as the leader of a political party, cannot order the deployment of the RPF,” says Yechury.
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The letter further reads that the gross misrepresentation of facts tantamount to misleading the House should attract the attention of Rule 187 raising a question involving a breach of privilege of the Council and its members.
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