The Congress on Friday submitted a breach of privilege notice in the Rajya Sabha, alleging that Union Home Minister Amit Shah misled the Upper House by claiming that the Kerala government had ignored the Centre’s warnings about the possibility of a natural calamity in Wayanad, PTI reported.
At least 308 persons were killed after heavy rain triggered two landslides in the district’s Meppadi area on July 30, ANI reported quoting Kerala health minister Veena George. The toll is likely to increase as rescue operations entered their fourth day.
On Wednesday, Shah told Parliament that in addition to a warning sent to the Kerala government on July 23, the India Meteorological Department had issued additional warnings on July 24 and July 25.
On Friday, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh submitted a notice to move the privilege motion against Shah for his statements that were “proven to be false”.
Ramesh, in a letter to Rajya Sabha Chairperson Jagdeep Dhankhar, said that the home minister made several claims on early warning systems and how they were not utilised by the Kerala government despite alerts issued by the Union government ahead of the tragedy.
“These claims have been extensively fact-checked in the media,” he said. “It is clear that the Union home minister misled the Rajya Sabha by his emphatic statements on early warnings issued by the Union government which have been proven to be false.”
It is well established that a minister or a member misleading the House constitutes a breach of privilege and a contempt of the House, Ramesh noted. “Under these circumstances, we submit that privilege proceedings may be initiated against the Union home minister in this matter,” he added.
Shah on Wednesday said that nine teams of the National Disaster Response Force were also sent to Kerala on July 23 and three additional units were dispatched on Tuesday, adding that the state government had ignored the central weather agency’s warnings and did not respond to the arrival of the National Disaster Response Force battalions.
The Kerala government has denied the home minister’s claims.
On Wednesday, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) also moved a privilege notice in the Rajya Sabha against Shah for his claims.
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