Row in Rajya Sabha as Kharge flags Dhankhar's 'sudden exit'; BJP hits back

A heated argument broke out in the Rajya Sabha between Mallikarjun Kharge and the BJP after the former mentioned Jagdeep Dhankhar's sudden exit as vice president

Don't want to miss the best from Business Standard?

The Rajya Sabha on Monday saw a heated exchange between Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge and Union ministers Kiren Rijiju and JP Nadda over the circumstances surrounding former vice president Jagdeep Dhankhar’s sudden exit. 

 

Kharge rose to welcome CP Radhakrishnan on assuming charge as the Vice President, saying "I rise today on my own behalf and on behalf of all opposition members to heartily congratulate you on assuming the office of Chairman of Rajya Sabha..."

 

He also referred to Dhankhar’s unexpected resignation, calling it “unprecedented”. Kharge added that members did not get a chance to formally bid farewell to him. "...I hope you will not mind that I am constrained to refer to your predecessor's completely unexpected and sudden exit from the office of the Chairman, Rajya Sabha… I was disheartened that the house did not get an opportunity to bid him a farewell."

 

   Rijiju hits back, accuses Congress of ‘insulting’ Dhankhar

 

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju objected to Kharge’s remarks and argued that the Opposition had earlier used harsh language against Dhankhar.

 

"Why LoP mentioned a case which was not necessary to be raised at this moment. Kharge ji, your LoP in Lok Sabha and Jairam Ramesh's work, I don't want to mention here. In a democracy, we should respect each other. If he did not deviate from the subject, I didn't need to say. Have you forgotten the language you used for the former Vice-President and insulted him? The removal motion against him is still with us," Rijiju said.

 

He urged members to avoid unnecessary references on a “solemn occasion".   

 

JP Nadda says discussion ‘irrelevant’

 

Leader of the House JP Nadda also criticised Kharge’s intervention, saying the felicitation ceremony should not be overshadowed by political disagreements.

 

“If we start discussing the issue that our Leader of the Opposition brought up today... I think it's irrelevant,” he said.

 

Nadda added that the Opposition had moved no-confidence motions “not once but twice” against Dhankhar.

 

“The defeat in Bihar, Haryana, and Maharashtra has caused you considerable pain. But you should express your pain and suffering to a doctor," he said.

 

Kharge quotes first president 

 

Addressing the House, Kharge quoted former president Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan to underline the need for a fair and free Opposition. He said, “A democracy is likely to degenerate into a tyranny if it does not allow the opposition groups to criticise fairly, freely and frankly the policies of the government.”

 

Kharge also urged the new Chairman to remain balanced. “I urge you not to look too much on that side (the Treasury)... But not looking at this side (the Opposition) is also dangerous.”

 

The LoP concluded by expressing confidence in the new Chair’s impartiality: “We are confident that you will be impartial and treat the opposition and the treasury benches equally.”