Cong gives notice for privilege motion against Swaraj for 'misleading' RS on death of Indians in Iraq

The Congress today gave a notice to move a privilege motion against External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in the Rajya Sabha for "misleading" the House about the death of the 39 Indians, who were abducted from Iraq's Mosul town in 2014.

Congress MPs Ambika Soni, Pratap Bajwa and Shamsher Singh Dullo gave the notice for moving a motion against Swaraj in the Upper House after compiling documents and information on the issue.

In the notice given under Rule 188 of Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Rajya Sabha, they intended to move the motion on the issue of Breach of Parliamentary Privilege.

According to the motion, Swaraj, along with her colleague Minister of State for External Affairs Gen. V K Singh (retd), "deliberately misled" the families of the 39 Indians killed in Mosul, on the floor of Parliament and outside.

Between June 2014 and March 2018, the minister continued to state as a matter of fact that the individuals were not only alive but that the government was undertaking steps for their release, it read.

"On March 18, 2018, the Minister confirmed on the floor of Parliament that the individuals in question had been slain, thereby demonstrating beyond all doubts that the Government had lied to Parliament and nation on a consistent basis.

"This is a serious breach of Parliamentary privilege and stringent action must be taken against the members for their gross acts of negligence and dereliction of public duty," the motion read.

Soni, Bajwa and Dullo accused Swaraj of misleading the House for four years and dared her to make public the sources who formed the basis of her claims that the 39 Indians abducted by ISIS were alive.

"Our sources have proved right and her confidential sources have proved wrong," Soni told reporters earlier.

She said they were definitely going to bring a privilege motion against the external affairs minister of India for misguiding Parliament and her insensitivity in "playing" with the lives of 39 Indian citizens.

"Whose fault is it, who tried to mislead and keep the issue in deep freeze for four years. It is of the external affairs minister. It is her responsibility," Soni alleged.

Accusing the central government of trying to suppress the Mosul tragedy, she said it did not talk about it despite several efforts to raise the issue.

"We have continuously tried to raise the issue, but Swaraj always said she cannot share the sources nor any document and always claimed that they are alive. The government's efforts to put a cover on the issue led to misconceptions among the families of the deceased," Soni said, adding, "We have come to know from Iraq that they died at least a year ago, but our government has been so insensitive."