NEW DELHI: Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and chief whip K Suresh on Sunday wrote to Speaker Om Birla over what they said was "targeted harassment" of party MP Karti Chidambaram through government agencies and sought protection of his parliamentary privileges.
In his letter to Birla, Chowdhury alleged that during the present regime, the opposition members are being "targeted and intimidated" and their parliamentary privileges are being breached.
"In this regard, I may like to cite the case of Karti P. Chidambaram (M.P.). He and his family are being selectively targeted in the name of 'so called' raid and investigation. The CBI is intimidating him and worse, they have seized confidential and sensitive parliamentary papers," Chowdhury said.
Pointing out that Karti Chidambaram is a member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee for Information and Technology, Chowdhury said draft notes and other sensitive parliamentary papers pertaining to the above-mentioned parliamentary committee have been "unlawfully seized" by the CBI.
"This is nothing but intimidation and an attempt by the government to stifle the voice of the opposition in the Parliament. Such targeted intimidation of a Member of Parliament amounts to breach of privilege," Chowdhury said.
"You are the custodian and guardian of the dignity of the House and also the rights and privileges of the Members of Lok Sabha. I appeal to you that as the guardian of the Lower House, you may kindly intervene and protect the rights and privileges of the opposition members so that they can discharge their parliamentary duties fearlessly and effectively," he said.
In his letter, Suresh expressed the "institutionalized harassment and targeted intimidation" of several Members of Parliament who are under the Speaker's protection.
"You are aware that Karti P Chidambaram, a distinguished Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha is being repeatedly subjected to intimidation by the blatant misuse of government agencies including the CBI by the Government," the Congress' chief whip in Lok Sabha said.
Karti Chidambaram is suffering raids conducted on his residence by the CBI officials, "who accord scant regard to the office and person of the Member of Parliament as they humiliate him by intentionally breaching his rights, freedom and furthermore, disrespect the very electorate and voters whom he represents in the Lower House in the process", Suresh said.
"It is learnt that Karti P Chidambaram's residence is being continuously ransacked and of utmost concern is the fact that even sensitive and classified documents pertaining to the proceedings of the Information Technology Committee, are being seized by these officials," he said.
Suresh said it is disturbing to note that even the proposed questions and notes prepared by him for scheduled hearings and meetings of the committee are also "seized".
"This act by the CBI is appalling and such documents that are de jure classified are being exposed and the very confidentiality granted to the members of committee are violated, such actions are also an assault on the very privileges of the Member whose rights are guarded by you," the Congress' chief whip said.
Suresh requested Birla to take cognizance of the "infringement of rights and privileges by the CBI" and ensure that Karti Chidambaram's rights as a Member of the House is no longer breached or he is no longer subjected to such "targeted harassment" on the pretext of investigation.
Their letters came days after Karti Chidamabaram on Friday wrote to Birla alleging that during a raid CBI officers seized "highly confidential" personal notes and papers pertaining to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information and Technology of which he is a member, and sought redressal for what he said was a "breach of his parliamentary privilege".
The CBI had questioned Lok Sabha MP Karti Chidambaram for eight hours for the third consecutive day on Saturday in connection with its probe into the alleged Rs 50-lakh bribery for issuance of visas to 263 Chinese workers involved in the construction of a Punjab-based power project in 2011.
Earlier this month, CBI teams had conducted coordinated search operations at 10 locations in multiple cities in the country, including residences of the Chidambarams in Chennai and Delhi.