Smriti Irani misled the nation, fit case for privilege motion: Ghulam Nabi Azad

Azad said that Irani's statement inside the Parliament over Rohith Vemula case had many contradictions

Congress today said Union Minister Smriti Irani's statement inside the Parliament over Rohith Vemula case had many contradictions and was a "fit case" for a privilege motion as she had "mislead" the nation.

"There would be a privilege motion and it should be done. She said some 2-3 things especially in the Lok Sabha on which there is contradiction," Congress general secretary and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad told reporters here.

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"The family (of Rohith) also said police as well as the doctor were present there. The doctor contradicted her (the minister), the police contradicted her and his mother contradicted her.

"So, obviously, there will be a privilege motion. Everything is recorded on both sides. So this is a fit case for privilege (motion)," Azad said.

The Congress leader defended his party colleague and former Union Home Minister P Chidambaram over his statement on Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru who was hanged inside Tihar Jail on February 9, 2013.

"I have heard that interview. He says that he was part of the process. It was our government that hanged Guru. Our government recommended, so where is the question.

"He said that there might be a perception. So, he was talking about general perception," Azad said.

He said this perception is "not new as it happens worldwide".

"The judiciary is divided, lawyers are divided, the public is divided, so he (Chidambaram) was talking in general that there is a perception and it is not about one person.

"When perception is discussed world over, some are in favour of life imprisonment, some of hanging and this is nothing new. He has not said that it was wrong," the Congress leader said.

Attacking HRD Minister Irani over Rohith issue, Azad said, "She said that no doctor was allowed to reach the spot after Rohith hanged himself. But the chief medical officer, who lives in the university premises, came out with a statement that the minister was lying.

"The doctor categorically said the minister was misleading the nation. She said that she was present there and it was she who declared Rohith dead.

"The second statement came from the police as Smriti Irani had said that police was not present there as well. Then Rohith's mother and brother said the minister was lying and was misleading the nation," Azad said.