New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Raghav Chadha has found himself in the middle of a controversy after being accused of forgery by five Rajya Sabha MPs on Monday.
The MPs have lodged complaints about their unauthorised inclusion in a proposed Select Committee on the Delhi Services Bill, by forging their signatures without their consent and have demanded to move a Privilege Motion against Chadha.
The five MPs, who claimed their names were listed in the proposed select committee without their consent, are S Phangnon Konyak, Narhari Amin and Sudhanshu Trivedi of the BJP, M Thambidurai of the AIADMK and Sasmit Patra of the BJD.
The select committee was proposed by Chadha in the Upper House to thoroughly examine the Delhi Services Bill.
Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh announced a probe into the complaints.
Home Minister Amit Shah has also accused Chadha of fraud. Terming it a breach of privilege of the House, Shah said the matter should be referred to the privileges committee.
When the deputy chairman read out the names to be included in the proposed select committee, the Home Minister said that the five MPs have complained about their names being included in the proposal moved by Chadha, without their consent.
"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.
Chadha responded to the allegations by saying “Let a privilege committee send me a notice. I will give my answer to the committee.”
Chadha's amendment to send the contentious bill to a select committee was negated by a voice vote.
The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023 sought to replace an ordinance on the handling of transfers and postings of officials in the Delhi government.
YSRCP MP Vijay Sai Reddy claimed one of its party member's names was also included by Chadha without his consent.
"AAP MP Raghav Chadha has made certain comments and we have countered them. Before a resolution is moved, members, whose names are included in it, have to be consulted. But Raghav Chadha included one of our party members' names in the proposed select committee on the Delhi Services Bill without holding prior consultations with him. So, some of the members, including our MP, have decided to move for a privilege motion against Raghav Chadha," Reddy said.
"At the time when resolutions were being moved in the House (during the discussion on the Delhi Services Bill), I learned that my name was mentioned in a resolution moved by Raghav Chadha. How could he put my name in the resolution without my consent? I hope the Chairman of the House will take action. I have tendered a complaint. Obviously, this is a matter of privilege. All of us have filed our complaints individually”, said BJD's Sasmit Patra.
BJP's Narhari Amin said, “Raghav Chadha included my name in the select committee. He did not hold prior consultations with me and neither did I give my consent to this. What he did was wrong. I did not even put my signature on any document."
Thambidurai said he has already written to Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, seeking his intervention in the matter. "I have written to the Rajya Sabha Chairman requesting that the matter be taken up by the privilege committee. How was my name included in the motion, as I had not signed on any document? It's likely that my signature was forged," the AIADMK MP said.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said, “I want to ask the Congress if they are supporting people (AAP) who are forging. Strict disciplinary action will be taken against this. A motion will be moved against the member. Union Home Minister has given a detailed answer on the bill.”
With inputs from agencies