Goa's Congress MP submits breach of privilege notice against Swamy

New Delhi, May 17: Congress Rajya Sabha MP Shantaram ik on Tuesday moved a breach of privilege notice against BJP member Subramanian Swamy on the alleged use of web-based content to level charges in the AgustaWestland chopper case. In his notice, ik said several of Swamy’s allegations against top Congress leaders in the case were not authenticated with documents and some were loosely based on web-based content. “Swamy did not authenticate any letter from Christian Michel (an alleged middleman in the chopper deal) as he was not in possession of any such letter. Further question of (Congress president) Sonia Gandhi flying in an Mi-8c hopper does not arise as she did not hold any official post,” ik said in his notice.

“Swamy did not authenticate the documents, which he quoted (in the upper house) on May 4, that very day despite the deputy chairman’s order to do so. Even the so-called authentication was done by Swamy most reluctantly which is clear from his speech,” ik said.

The Congress parliamentarian said that since Swamy, newly appointed to the Rajya Sabha by the Modi government, had authenticated a website page printout, in which mes of (Congress leaders) Sonia Gandhi, Ahmed Patel and Oscar Ferndes etc. have been mentioned, it means and implies that Swami endorses the allegations.

ik said that by playing around verbal innuendoes and initials, Swamy had meant to “insinuate a specific person most irresponsibly and without authenticating any document”. “Swamy did not produce any certified copy of the (Milan court) judgment on which he relied extensively, which he should have done and authenticated the same, which also constitutes breach of privilege of the house,” ik said. (IANS)