Congress gives notice for privilege motion against Irani

New Delhi, Feb 29  Congress on Monday gave notice for a privilege motion against HRD Minister Smriti Irani and created a ruckus in the Lok Sabha for a while shortly before Finance Minister Arun Jaitley stood to present the General Budget 2016-17.

Soon after the house met, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan asked Jaitley to present the budget but Congress member K.C. Venugopal stood up and sought to know from the Speaker the status of his privilege motion against the Human Resource Development minister.

"It is painful for me to do that on the day of general budget, I had to move a privilege motion against the HRD minister," Venugopal said.

Other members of the Congress, including the party's leader in the house Mallikarjun Kharge, also stood up and asked the speaker to clarify the status of the notice.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu objected and said: "Very cheap politics...nothing should go on record."

Amid noisy scenes, Mahajan requested the agitating members not to create a ruckus and let the minister present the budget.

"I have received the notices given on February 26 and February 29 against Smriti Irani. The matter is under my consideration," Mahajan said.