Senior Congress leader KC Venugopal on Monday wrote to Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla, submitting a privilege notice against PM Narendra Modi, accusing him of making remarks that allegedly cast aspersions on Members of Parliament during a televised address to the nation.
In his letter, Venugopal invoked Rule 222 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Lok Sabha, seeking action against the Prime Minister for statements made in his speech aired on April 18, 2026.
Venugopal noted that the Prime Minister addressed the country a day after the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 was defeated in the Lok Sabha on April 17. The bill failed to secure the mandatory two-thirds majority required under Article 368 of the Constitution of India.
According to Venugopal, during the 29-minute speech, the Prime Minister criticised Opposition parties for obstructing the bill and referred specifically to how Opposition MPs voted, while also attributing motives to their actions.
He argued that questioning the conduct of elected representatives performing their parliamentary duties undermines the dignity of Parliament and the democratic rights of citizens. Venugopal urged the Speaker to take prompt and firm action to safeguard the authority of Parliament and ensure that such incidents are not repeated.
