NEW DELHI: CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury has moved a privilege motion against HRD Minister Smriti Irani accusing her of making "baseless allegations" against him on Hindu Goddess Durga issue.
In a letter to Rajya Sabha Chairman today, Yechury sought protection from the Chair, saying he was being "inundated with phone calls and messages full of profanity, obscenity and threats to him on the basis of allegations and calumny" spread against him in the House during the proceedings on February 26.
"During the discussions on February 26, HRD Minister made completely baseless allegations against me imputing motives that are completely false. These allegations suggest that I had made some comments denigrating the Hindu Goddess Durga.
"There is absolutely no reference of anything of this nature in the course of the long discussions in the House.
Such totally baseless allegations have had the incendiary affect of resulting in the threats, intimidation and harassment that I continue to be subjected to," Yechury said in his letter.
The CPI(M) leader said the "baseless and completely unfounded allegations by the Minister against me on the floor of the House has led to a barrage of threatening calls to me, aimed primarily at obstructing my functioning as MP and in discharging duties as MP and is a clear case of breach of my privilege as MP."
Seeking Chair's intervention in the matter, Yechury said, "Considering the grievous nature of such allegations and since they were made on the floor of the House and recorded as part of the proceedings, I am seeking your intervention to ensure the protection of my rights and privileges as member of this House."