New Delhi, Mar 27 (UNI) Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Thursday rejected Congress chief whip Jairam Ramesh's notice of breach of privilege against Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

After laying the papers in the House, soon after the House assembled for the day, Chairman Dhankhar informed the House that Ramesh has objected to a statement made by Home Minister Amit Shah regarding Sonia Gandhi during the discussion on the Disaster Management Amendment Bill, 2024 and has given a notice of breach of privilege in this regard.

The Chairman said, “I have declined with deep anguish that we rush to invoke breach of privilege, rush to media, gain traction, and tarnish images. This House will not be a platform to ruin reputations”.

He said that he was dismissing the privilege notice against the Union Home Minister, citing verified records from 1948 that upheld his statement on PMNRF and PM CARES, finding no procedural lapse.

He said that Amit Shah has placed on the table a press release of the Government of India dated January 24, 1948 to substantiate his statement. This release contains details of the formation of the Prime Minister's Relief Fund.
The Prime Minister and the Congress president have been involved in the management of the fund. The Chairman said that in view of the available facts, this proposal is rejected.

It may be mentioned that on Wednesday, Jairam Ramesh had moved a privilege notice against Amit Shah accusing him of "casting aspersions" on Sonia Gandhi.

In the letter to the Chairman, Ramesh had said that the statement of Shah tentamounts to "breach of privilege" and is "contempt of the house as well".

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