History won't forgive those denying level playing field in House: Sibal

With the opposition seeking the removal of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Thursday said history will never forgive those who do not allow a level playing field in the functioning of the House.

In a first, parties of the opposition INDIA bloc spearheaded by the Congress on Tuesday submitted a notice in the Rajya Sabha for moving a no-confidence motion against Dhankhar, accusing him of being "extremely partisan" in his role as the Chairman of the Upper House of Parliament.

In a post on X, Sibal said, "Jagdeep Dhankar. 60 Members of Rajya Sabha submit a Notice for his removal. Unprecedented. Sad day for the Mother of Democracy!" 

  "History will never forgive those who do not allow a level playing field in the functioning of the House," the Independent member of the Rajya Sabha said.

If the motion seeking Dhankhar's removal is moved, the opposition parties need a simple majority to get it passed, but they do not have the requisite numbers in the 243-member House.

Opposition members, however, have insisted that it was a "strong message to fight for parliamentary democracy".

Noting that the role of the chairperson of the Rajya Sabha is of pivotal importance, the Opposition parties have said Dhankhar is expected to conduct himself in a non-partisan manner but has instead reduced "the prestige of the position he presently occupies to that of a mere spokesman for the Government of the day".

On behalf of the Opposition, Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh and Naseer Hussain on Tuesday submitted the notice signed by 60 opposition MPs -- including from the Congress, RJD, TMC, CPI, CPI-M, JMM, AAP, DMK, Samajwadi Party -- to Rajya Sabha Secretary General P C Mody.

The vice president is the ex-officio chairman of the Rajya Sabha.