MP's claim that 3,000 political leaders have been raided is erroneous: Piyush Goyal

Dec 12, 2022

New Delhi [India], December 12 : Commerce Minister and leader of Rajya Sabha Piyush Goyal on Monday said, "It has become very simple. There are a number of websites and social media platforms, on which people make all sorts of claims that are not substantiated by facts. They are not backed by any starred or unstarred questions or response in Parliament."
He added, "They are not even backed by RTI (Right to Information). They are a lot of cases when you go for fact-checking and it would come out with fake claims. There is a senior member in the House in the front."
He added, "He is making a claim that 3,000 political leaders have been raided. I think it is all erroneous. He is making claims, without any substance."
"He is making allegations which are before the court. The court demands and there is a directive of the court that action should be taken against MLAs, elected representatives who are found to be culpable in economic or other offence. No law gives immunity to elected representatives," the commerce minister said in Rajya Sabha on Monday.
"We are, on contrary, doing a public service. We have to maintain a high standard of the platform," he added.
Before Piyush Goyal spoke in the House, Chairman of Rajya Sabha Jagdeep Dhankhar had said, "We cannot allow any member to give out facts that are not substantiated and that constitute a serious breach of privilege. I am very particular about it whether it is this side or that side."
He said that a chief minister had sent a communication to the Prime Minister and details were not made available that should be on record, that should be shared with the members.
He said, "The honourable member can make his input and while making his input it has not to be a speech. The honourable member must focus on actual figures and I will call upon the honourable member to put the relevant record on the table of the House."