CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said during the discussions on February 26, HRD Minister made completely baseless allegations against him.
CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury has moved a privilege motion against Education Minister Smriti Irani accusing her of making "baseless allegations" against him during a debate on the JNU case, which saw members sparring on references to Goddess Durga.
In a letter to the Rajya Sabha Chairman today, Mr Yechury sought protection from the Chair, saying he was being "inundated with phone calls and messages full of profanity, obscenity and threats to him on the basis of allegations and calumny" spread against him in the House.
"During the discussions on February 26, HRD Minister made completely baseless allegations against me imputing motives that are completely false. These allegations suggest that I had made some comments denigrating the Hindu Goddess Durga," he said.
"There is absolutely no reference of anything of this nature in the course of the long discussions in the House. Such totally baseless allegations have had the incendiary effect of resulting in the threats, intimidation and harassment that I continue to be subjected to," Mr Yechury said in his letter.
The CPI(M) parliamentarian said the "baseless and completely unfounded allegations by the Minister against me on the floor of the House has led to a barrage of threatening calls to me, aimed primarily at obstructing my functioning as MP and in discharging duties as MP and is a clear case of breach of my privilege as MP."
Mr Yechury said, "Considering the grievous nature of such allegations and since they were made on the floor of the House and recorded as part of the proceedings, I am seeking your intervention to ensure the protection of my rights and privileges as member of this House."