Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi steps down as Sansad TV show host

Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi on Sunday wrote to Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu expressing her wish to step down as the host of Sansad TV show, Meri Kahaani, following her suspension from the House during the winter session of Parliament. Chaturvedi in her letter stated, “After my arbitrary suspension, that has totally disregarded established Parliamentary norms & 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 contribution 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 it,” she added.

The Shiv Sena MP was brought on board the newly-launched Sansad TV, set up by merging Lok Sabha TV and Rajya Sabha TV, to interview women parliamentarians in September. Congress’ Shashi Tharoor was asked to host To The Point, a series of interviews with eminent personalities.However, on Sunday, Chaturvedi wrote to Naidu, saying, “It is with great anguish but with a sense of responsibility and having thought through this, I wish to inform you that I would like to step down as an anchor for Sansad TVs show Meri Kahani.”“I believe it is my duty that when today 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 then I need to speak up for them and stand in solidarity for them. Also, not to forget 12 MPs being suspended for an entire session for their conduct in previous session has never happened in parliament’s history,” she added. Chaturvedi, along with 11 other Members of Parliament, was suspended from the Upper House for alleged unruly conduct towards the end of the monsoon session in August when marshals were called after Opposition members stormed the Well of the House during the passage of the General Insurance Business (Nationalisation) Amendment Bill, 2021.