New Delhi: Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar is the “biggest reason” behind disruptions in the Upper House, where he acts like a “headmaster” to “students in a classroom,” Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said Wednesday, launching an unprecedented no-holds-barred attack on the occupant of the second highest Constitutional office in the country.
Addressing a press conference attended by leaders of the INDIA bloc, Kharge alleged that the loyalties of the Vice President, who is the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, “lie with the government instead of the Constitution,” resulting in him “outperforming even spokespersons of the government” in defending it.
Dhankhar’s actions have “imperilled” parliamentary democracy, leaving the Opposition with no option but to seek his removal, Kharge said.
“This notice has been filed after thorough consideration and deliberation for the sole purpose of protecting the integrity of our parliamentary democracy,” Kharge said.
His remarks come a day after the INDIA bloc, marking a first in the history of India’s parliamentary democracy, submitted a notice to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat seeking to bring a motion to remove Dhankhar from his post under Article 67(B) of the Constitution of India.
Kharge, who is the president of the principal Opposition party Congress, said such a move was never contemplated before as the previous Rajya Sabha chairpersons always remained above the fray, acting neutrally and without displaying any political bias.
“However, today, we have to regretfully point out that politics has overtaken rules in the House. In the 75th year of the adoption of the Constitution, biased and partisan behaviour of the Rajya Sabha Chairman has forced the opposition to seek to remove him. He treats MPs of the opposition benches as his opponents and insults leaders of opposition of both the Houses,” Kharge said.
“His (Dhankhar’s) loyalty lies with the government, not the Constitution. He is working as the spokesperson of the government for his next promotion. The biggest disruptor in the House is the Chairman itself. He is the biggest reason behind disruptions in the House. He has sullied the image of the nation,” the veteran parliamentarian added.
The Congress’s INDIA bloc allies TMC, SP, DMK, RJD, CPI, CPI(M), JMM and NCP (SCP) were in attendance as Kharge spoke.
Congress general secretary in-charge (communications) Jairam Ramesh said representatives of the AAP were missing from the joint press conference as they were accompanying former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal who met the Chief Election Commissioner around the same time in the afternoon.
Kharge further accused Dhankhar of treating senior MPs in a demeaning manner. “He schools MPs with long experience like a headmaster. He speaks down to them like they are students in a classroom. He delivers long lectures himself and stands like a shield of the government. This is not just a breach of protocol, but betrayal of the constitution and the people of India,” he said.
In the notice against Dhankhar, INDIA bloc MPs also flagged how he “repeatedly made disparaging comments about Members of the House belonging to opposition parties publicly, criticising any and every action taken by them where the leaders have expressed issues with the functioning of the ruling government”.
Even as the Opposition turned up the heat, the BJP came out in Dhankhar’s defence during the day, with party president J.P. Nadda alleging the Congress, by attacking Dhankhar, was attempting to “divert attention from the issue of ties between the top Congress leadership and Soros”.
“I also want to point out that the manner in which Congress is making allegations against the Chair is condemnable. It should be condemned by one and all,” Nadda, who is the Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha, said.
(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)
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