RS refers Yechury's plaint on threats to privileges committee

Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari has referred the issue of CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury allegedly receiving threat calls over his participation in a discussion in the House on the JNU row, to Privileges Committee for investigation.
"Chairman, Rajya Sabha has referred a question of breach of privilege arising out of the complaint of Sitaram Yechury, who has allegedly received threatening calls and derogatory messages as a result of his participation in a discussion in the House on February 26 this year to Committee of Privileges for examination, investigation and report under rule 203 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Rajya Sabha," a communique from the Upper House said today.

Yechury had earlier said in February that he received threat calls and text messages for allegedly saying "wrong" things about Goddess Durga in the Rajya Sabha.
Yechury had complained about having received threats in connection with his stance on the JNU row allegedly from right-wing forces.
During his speech in the Upper House, Yechury had taken on HRD Minister Smriti Irani for quoting certain Facebook posts purportedly written by Hyderabad University research scholar Rohith Vemula, who committed suicide, which were critical of the CPI(M) leader, and accused her of making "all foul fair".
He had questioned the veracity of the Facebook account that she had claimed to be that of Vemula.

Yechury had later said he got around 1000 calls and 500 text messages on his personal phone during the day.
The Rajya Sabha member had earlier claimed to have received threat calls on CPM head office's landline number on February 15 in connection with the varsity row.
Delhi police had taken suo moto cognizance of the reports of alleged threats to Yechury and also asked for a complaint which his office had lodged.