Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) Raghav Chadha is at the centre of a fresh controversy over the Delhi Services Bill, which was passed by a comfortable majority on Monday in the upper house of the Parliament. The BJP has accused Chadha of forging signatures of five MPs in the motion to send the Delhi Services Bill to a select committee.
Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh on Monday announced a probe into the complaints of these MPs that their names were included in a proposed select committee without their consent. Union Home Minister Amit Shah called it a 'breach of privilege of the House' and accused the AAP of committing fraud in parliamentary proceedings.
"Who all have signed on their behalf is a subject of investigation," Shah said and requested the Chair to record the statements of the complainant members.
The five Rajya Sabha members who have raised complaints are S. Phangnon Konyak, Narhari Amin and Sudhanshu Trivedi of BJP, AIADMK's M. Thambidurai and BJD's Sasmit Patra.
Patra told ANI that he realised his name was included only when it was mentioned in the House. “How could he put my name in the resolution without my consent? I hope the Chairman of the House will take action,” he said. "I have given a letter to the Rajya Sabha Chairman referring to the Privilege Committee as to how my name is included in the motion, as I had not signed any document. Therefore, someone may have forged my signature," Thambidurai said.
Responding to the allegations, AAP sources told NDTV that the names of the five MPs were given in given in “good faith” as they have been participating in discussions on the bill both in and outside the parliament.
Chadha said, “Let a privilege committee send me a notice. I will give my answer to the committee.”
The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which faced stiff resistance from the opposition bloc, seeks to replace an ordinance on the handling of transfers and postings of officials in the Delhi government.
