End of Raghav Chadha's suspension: Rajya Sabha chairman underlines importance of ethics in public life

New Delhi: Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday underlined the importance of ethics in public life and conduct that is emulated by others.

Dhankhar was referring to the case of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) member Raghav Chadha, who was found guilty of presenting misleading facts to the media by the privileges committee of the Rajya Sabha but was allowed to attend the House proceedings after his suspension was ended through a motion on Monday.

'Members of the Upper house have to show a conduct which is clearly emulated by others. It was in that perspective that I made an appeal that everyone should go through the report of the Committee of Privileges with respect to Raghav Chadha,' the chairman said in the Rajya Sabha.

Chadha was also held guilty by the committee of adding names of members in a proposed select panel without their consent.

A motion to end his suspension was moved in the House by Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) G V L Narasimha Rao. The motion that was adopted by a voice vote said the suspension so far was 'sufficient punishment' for Chadha.

'I had the occasion to see the young man (Chadha). There should have been remorse, there should have been reflection, it was a day on which he was held guilty on both the counts by a very detailed report. The suspension has not come to an end, the sentence was limited to this day,' Dhankhar said.

He said this was a case where a member of the House suffered as he was held guilty and punished.

'I would urge everyone to live up to the high expectations. Ethics is so vital for the performance of the duties of a parliamentarian,' Dhankhar said.

He asked the members to go through the recommendations of the first ethics committee report tabled in the Rajya Sabha in 1999.

'A code of conduct was laid down for us ... two important elements are that the members must not do anything which brings disrepute to Parliament and affects their credibility,' the chairman said.

The members are expected to maintain high standards of morality, dignity, decency and values in public life, he added.

'I strongly recommend this report,' Dhankhar said.

Chadha was suspended from the Upper House on August 11, during the Monsoon Session of Parliament, for alleged breach privileges.

The AAP leader had moved the Supreme Court against his suspension.

After he was allowed back in the House on Monday, Chadha thanked the Supreme Court and the Rajya Sabha chairman.