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Rajya Sabha Refers Privilege Notice Against Kharge to Committee After BJP MPs' Complaint
The Rajya Sabha has referred a privilege notice filed by six BJP MPs against Congress Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge to the Committee of Privileges. The BJP MPs allege Kharge made disrespectful remarks about Prime Minister Modi, though Kharge clarified he referred only to "tax terrorism" rather than calling the PM a terrorist directly. The controversy arises from Kharge's criticism of the government's handling of examination paper leaks and measures like blocking Telegram.
Quick Facts
Who
Mallikarjun Kharge
What
Privilege notice moved against Kharge
When
April 2026 (Kharge's initial remarks)
Where
Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Indian Parliament)
- Privilege notice moved against Kharge
- Notice referred to Committee of Privileges
- Allegations of disrespectful remarks about PM Modi
- Kharge's clarification on use of 'tax terrorism' terminology
- Criticism of government's handling of NEET-UG examination irregularities
Rajya Sabha Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan has referred a privilege notice moved by six BJP MPs against Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge to the Committee of Privileges for examination and investigation. The complaint, submitted by BJP members Brij Lal, Mithlesh Kumar, Sumitra Balmik, Shivesh Kumar, Sikander Kumar, and Nagendra Ray under Rule 188 of the Rajya Sabha's Rules of Procedure, alleges that Kharge made "derogatory, disparaging and disrespectful" remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi that lowered the dignity of Parliament.
The controversy stems from Kharge's April comments criticizing the government's handling of examination irregularities and the temporary restrictions imposed on Telegram ahead of the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination. According to sources, the BJP MPs claimed Kharge called the Prime Minister "a terrorist," though Kharge subsequently clarified he never used that term directly. He explained that his remarks referred to "tax terrorism" being facilitated by the PM, stating: "I said tax terrorism is happening, ED, the income tax department and the CBI are conducting raids… this terrorism is being facilitated by the PM. I did not call him a terrorist."
Kharge's broader criticism focused on what he described as the government's failure to prevent repeated examination paper leaks over the past decade. He accused the Modi government of resorting to "damage control" measures rather than addressing root causes, and questioned why measures such as blocking Telegram and deploying resources were being used instead of holding officials accountable. He specifically called for Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation and criticized the Prime Minister for remaining silent on student suicides linked to examination scandals.
The Committee of Privileges, chaired by Deputy Chairman Harivansh, includes BJP members Sudhanshu Trivedi, Deepak Prakash, Sumer Singh Solanki, Surendra Singh Nagar, and Manan Kumar Mishra, along with Independent MP Kartikeya Sharma. The committee will now examine whether Kharge's comments constitute a breach of parliamentary privilege or misconduct warranting further action by the House.
The referral marks an escalation in the political dispute between the BJP government and the opposition Congress party over examination security and governance. The Committee of Privileges' findings will be submitted to the Rajya Sabha Chairman before any further parliamentary action is considered.
Why This Matters
This privilege notice referral reflects deepening parliamentary tensions between India's ruling coalition and the opposition Congress party over governance and examination security. For readers, it illustrates how parliamentary procedure can be weaponized in political disputes, the distinction between criticism and parliamentary misconduct, and the government's continued challenges in managing high-stakes competitive examinations. The outcome may set precedent for what constitutes allowable legislative dissent versus contempt of the House.