Suspended MP Chaturvedi protests stifling of voice, quits Sansad TV anchoring

Suspended Rajya Sabha member, Priyanka Chaturvedi of the Shiv Sena, has tendered her resignation as an anchor of Meri Kahani a Sansad TV show.

Chaturvedi is one of the 12 Members of Parliament (MP), suspended from the Rajya Sabha for the entire current session on the grounds that they disrupted the proceedings of the House. The 12 MPs had demanded a discussion in the Rajya Sabha on the use of Pegasus spyware in the country. The Israeli firm that has come out with the spyware, sells it only to governments and these MPs wanted a discussion on the role of the Centre in the use of the spyware against individuals in the country.

Chaturvedi sent her resignation to Rajya Sabha Chairperson M Venkaiah Naidu and stated in her letter, “After my arbitrary suspension, that has totally disregarded established parliamentary norms and rules to stifle my voice, my party’s voice inside the chamber, I am unwilling to continue taking space on Sansad TV when my primary oath to the Constitution is being denied to me.

 “That this suspension also chose to disregard my parliamentary track record and my contributing beyond the call of duty so as to give a platform to women parliamentarians to share their journey, I believe injustice has been done but as it is considered valid in the eyes of the chair, I must respect.”

Chaturvedi added, “I believe it is my duty that when the highest number of women MPs have been suspended in the recorded history of Rajya Sabha for an entire session for speaking up for the people of this country, I need to speak up for them and stand in solidarity for them.”

She ended her resignation letter thanking the Rajya Sabha Chairperson and Lok Sabha Speaker for ‘considering her worthy of the responsibility given to her in the Sansad TV show’.