During a parliamentary session on March 25, 2025, Amit Shah addressed the Disaster Management Bill, 2024. In his speech, he drew comparisons between the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund and the PM CARES Fund, suggesting that the former was predominantly controlled by a single family during the United Progressive Alliance administration. Shah stated, "The Prime Minister's National Relief Fund was established during Congress rule, while PM CARES was created under Narendra Modi Ji's government, during the NDA regime. During Congress rule, a single family had control, sir. The Congress president was a member of it, sir. The Congress president had authority over government funds—the Congress president! What answer will you give to the people of this country? Do you think no one reads or watches anything?"
In response, Jairam Ramesh submitted a formal notice to Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, invoking Rule 188 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business. Ramesh's letter contends that Shah's remarks, though not directly naming Sonia Gandhi, implicitly referred to her and imputed motives regarding the management of the PMNRF. He emphasized that such statements are "blatantly false and defamatory," constituting a breach of privilege and contempt of the House.
The Congress party asserts that Shah's comments were a deliberate attempt to malign Gandhi's reputation. Ramesh highlighted that making derogatory references or casting reflections on a member of the House is a well-established breach of privilege. He urged the Chairman to initiate privilege proceedings against the Home Minister to uphold the dignity and decorum of the parliamentary institution.