Mallikarjun Kharge’s concern over former vice president and Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar’s sudden resignation on Monday drew Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) retort on Monday as its MPs slammed the Congress president for mentioning an unrelated event while welcoming CP Radhakrishnan as chairman of the upper house in the first day of Parliament Winter Session.
Mallikarjun Kharge, welcoming chairman CP Radhakrishnan on his first day in the Rajya Sabha on behalf of the Opposition, assured of our cooperation in the conduct of proceedings but also referred to the unexpected and sudden exit of Jagdeep Dhankhar, which he said is “unprecedented in the annals of Parliamentary history”.
Dhankhar, who had resigned from the post of Vice-President of India on July 21 over health issues, by default also vacating the the Rajya Sabha chairman seat.
“I am constrained to refer to your predecessor’s unexpected and sudden exit from the office of Chairman, which is unprecedented in the annals of Parliamentary history… The Chairman Rajya Sabha, as the custodian of the House, belongs as much to the opposition as to the government,” said Kharge, the leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha, triggering uproar from ruling party benches.
“I was disheartened that this House did not get an opportunity to give him a farewell,” Kharge said.
The Congress, he said, “staunchly stands by Constitutional values and time-honoured Parliamentary traditions”.
“Be assured of our cooperation in the conduct of proceedings”.
He, however, added, “Fair and impartial conduct of proceedings, providing just opportunity to members of each party, is essential for credibility of this office”.
How BJP retorted
Mallikarjun Kharge also mentioned that Radhakrishnan is related to former three-term Lok Sabha MP CK Kuppuswamy, who was a member of the Congress.
“It is better if you keep a balance between both sides. I wish you a successful term… The background you come from was mentioned by the PM, but you should also not forget you are from a Congress family,” PTI news agency quoted Kharge as saying in Parliament.
“Secondly, PM gave a statement outside [Parliament]. He attacked us indirectly as well, we will reply to it here…,” Kharge added and immediately invited BJP’s retort.
Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju slammed the Kharge for mentioning Dhankhar’s resignation on the “solemn occasion” of welcoming CP Radhakrishnan as Rajya Sabha chairman.
“This is a very solemn occasion… The Prime Minister has made very dignified remarks as part of the felicitation event. .. Why did the honourable Leader of Opposition refer to a case which was not necessary to be raised at this moment…” Rijiju said.
“The language you used for the former chairman, the way you insulted him, the motion you served, we still have that copy…” he said.
‘Go to doctor’
Leader of the house JP Nadda also intervened, urging members to maintain the dignity of the occasion. He also referred to the loss faced by the opposition alliance, including Congress, in the recent Bihar assembly elections and advised Kharge to express the pain of losing polls to a “doctor”.
“This program is a pious occasion. We should maintain the dignity of the occasion. The issue that the Leader of Opposition raised, if we start discussing this, it is irrelevant… We will also have to mention that you brought a no-confidence motion against him twice. It is an obstacle in a good and congenial environment debate which is going on,” Nadda said.
“Talking about what the Prime Minister spoke outside… The loss of Bihar and Haryana must have given you a lot of pain… But you should express your pain and suffering to a doctor. You should speak to a doctor when the time comes…,” Nadda said.
Delivering his customary address ahead of the commencement of the Winter Session of Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the opposition was perturbed by the electoral losses in Bihar and was unable to digest its failure.
“Defeat should not be the ground to create disruption. Victory should not convert into arrogance either,” the prime minister said.
Parliament is not a place for drama, it is a place for delivery, PM Modi said, adding it should not be used by Opposition to vent out frustration after defeat in polls.
