BJP MP and member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology Nishikant Dubey in a letter to panel’s Chairman and Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has demanded that the meeting on suspension of Internet services in various States and Union Territories including Jammu and Kashmir, scheduled for September 1, be cancelled since the subject is sub judice.
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Mr. Dubey’s letter came a day after Speaker Om Birla issued an advisory to the Chairmen of all parliamentary panels asking them to adhere to rules while conducting meetings.
“Since this issue is presently pending before the Supreme Court, any further deliberations on this would again be a violation of the relevant rules/directions as well as disregarding the recently issued advisory of the Speaker,” Mr. Dubey wrote. He had earlier in a letter to Mr. Birla demanded Mr. Tharoor’s removal from the Chairman’s post. He was backed by another BJP member Rajyavardhan Rathore who accused Mr. Tharoor of going public with the decision to summon Facebook on the controversy regarding them going easy on pages affiliated to the BJP carrying hate speech.
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Referring to the Speaker’s instructions, Mr. Dubey said the advisory has clearly said the proceedings shall be treated as confidential and the panel may not take up those issues which are pending in courts.
“Therefore, [I] appeal to your good-self that the sitting of the committee on information technology convened for the aforementioned purpose may be immediately revoked.”
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He also requested Mr. Tharoor to not take up those issues for deliberation which are of national importance as otherwise, the panel would again be showing discourtesy to the desire of the Speaker.
