Congress plans privilege motion on BJP ‘lies’

Accusing BJP leader Subramanian Swamy and defence minister Manohar Parrikar of “lying blatantly” during the AgustaWestland debate, the Congress said that it will be giving notices seeking privilege motions against them in the Rajya Sabha on Friday.

The AICC also announced that the party will file a defamation case against a US-based website, www.Pguru.Com, whose material was used by Dr Swamy in the Rajya Sabha debate. It alleged that the website is linked to the Sangh Parivar.

Friday is the last day of the Upper House during the current session.

Congress spokesman Jairam Ramesh told reporters that both Dr Swamy and Mr Parrikar have “blatantly lied” in Parliament and created a “web of deceit”.

“Subramanian Swamy spoke against Sonia Gandhi and other Congress leaders in Parliament and kept referring a document which according to him was an Italian court’s judgment,” he said adding that the BJP leader authenticated a 13-page document in the Rajya Sabha, which consists of two pages of an email from “Swamy to Swamy”, a news report and nine pages from the website.

Insisting that the Italian judgment has nothing, he claimed there is “no accusation against the Congress leadership” in the verdict. “It is a lie that the Italian judgment has indicted the Congress leadership. Swamy has made baseless allegations,” Mr Ramesh said.

“Swamy has spoken big lies in the Rajya Sabha on May 4 and has used false documents. We will not allow him to go scot-free,” said Mr Ramesh.

The duo of Swamy and Parrikar have attempted to mislead the nation, for which they will have to pay the price,” said Mr Ramesh.