Lawyer Prashant Bhushan on Saturday said he has received a breach of privilege notice for his remarks against Parliamentarians, the second Team Anna member to get such a notice.
Bhushan said he has been accused of using derogatory words against MPs and has been asked to file a reply. Terming the notice as “totally unjustified”, he told a news agency that “speaking the truth in public interest does not amount to breach of privilege”.
“If speaking truth in public interest amounts to breach of privilege, then time has come for the country to review the whole notion of Parliamentary privileges,” he said.On Friday, former IPS officer Kiran Bedi had received breach of privilege notice for her remarks against Parliamentarians.
“Received Breach of Privilege. Shall respond appropriately recording the distrust ‘we the people’ were suffering,” Bedi had tweeted. Bedi had said that she will not “apologise” for her remarks against politicians, but intends to show a “bigger mirror” to the House on the conduct of lawmakers.
“If I get a notice, I would say I am sorry I will not be able to say sorry. If I get an opportunity I will go before the Committee and will show a bigger mirror to Parliament,” she had said.
She said whatever she had said was in reference to a situation, where it was needed to be said.
“The truth has to be said. I didn’t have any other option as we didn’t know whether we would have a resolution,” she said.
The privilege notice against Bedi came as she accused politicians of wearing “several masks” at the same time, drawing the ire of MPs from both Houses.
IF TO SAY TRUTH IS A CRIME, ONE SHOULD COMMIT IT AS MANY MANY TIMES AS MANY TIMES ONE GETS THE CHANCE AND IN THE CASES OF USE OF DEROGATORY LANGUAGE AGAINST THE MEMBERS PARLIAMENT, IT IS NOT OF CONTEXT TO POINT OUT THAT THE PARLIAMENTARIANS HAVE EARNED THIS DISREPUTE, BECAUSE OF THEIR IRRESPONSIBLE ATTITUDE TOWARDS THEIR ETHICAL DUTIES, FOR WHICH THEY HAVE BEEN SENT TO PARLIAMENT BY THE PEOPLE, TO REPRESENT THEM IN THE PARLIAMENT AND WORK FOR THE WELL FARE OF THEIR ELECTORS & IF THEY FAIL TO PERFORM, WHAT THEY DESERVE TO GET PRAISE OR ABUSE, LET THE PARLIAMENTARIANS DECIDE IT THEMSELVES & LET THE JUSTIFYING AUTHORITY GIVE HIS/ HER OPINION TOO?—dr.amritgaur