Dhankhar acting like govt spokesperson for next promotion, says Kharge

The Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha said they were sad that on the 75th year of the adoption of the House, they were forced to move against the Chairman due to his “biased, partisan” actions and open assertions that he is an RSS man.

New Delhi: I.N.D.I.A bloc parties on Wednesday intensified the attack on the Rajya Sabha Chairman with Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge claiming that Jagdeep Dhankhar has become a “spokesperson of the government” for his “next promotion” and that he is the “biggest disruptor” in the Upper House as politics has taken precedence over rules.

A day after they submitted a notice to remove him as Vice President, most of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc floor leaders in Rajya Sabha, including those from Congress, DMK, Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party, RJD, Shiv Sena (UBT), JMM, CPI(M), CPI and NCP, held a joint press conference to put their views on why they were moving ahead with such a course of action.

Kharge said they were sad that on the 75th year of the adoption of the House, they were forced to move against the Chairman of Rajya Sabha due to his “biased, partisan” actions and open assertions that he is an RSS man. He said none of these actions brought dignity to the post he holds, especially when he sees Opposition leaders as his “opponents”.

“We are fed up with his partiality. That is why we have given the notice for his removal. This (Dhankhar’s action) is not just a breach of protocol but a betrayal of the Constitution and the people of India,” he said.

Emphasising that no resolution was brought against the Rajya Sabha Chairman since 1952 as those who held it before remained impartial, he said the notice for the Rajya Sabha chairman's removal is not about personal grievances or political battles. 

“The Chairman's conduct has been contrary to the dignity of the post he holds. He targets opposition leaders and often praises the government. Politics has taken precedence over rules in the Rajya Sabha and the Chairman has indulged in partisan behaviour,” he said, adding that Dhankhar is acting like a school headmaster and often sermonising MPs.

“Opposition leaders are stopped from speaking. Without following Constitution and Constitutional procedures, he acts for the party in power. He is working as a spokesperson of the government for his next promotion (as President). I do not hesitate to say that Chairman himself is the biggest disruptor in Rajya Sabha. If the House is disrupted, the biggest reason is the Chairman,” he alleged.

Kharge also said Dhankhar “never misses an opportunity to insult” an Opposition MP. The country for the first time has a Vice President who openly criticises Opposition leaders, “sometimes even outperforming” ruling party members. 

He also accused the Chairman of “openly encouraging, provoking” Treasury benches to make "outrageous remarks" against the Opposition MPs.

Incidentally, the press conference also brought Trinamool Congress and Samajwadi Party, which were not seen during I.N.D.I.A protests against Adani in Parliament, together with Congress and other partners on a single platform. 

Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh said AAP could not attend the press conference as their leaders were meeting the Election Commission at the same time.

Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Sanjay Raut said, “it seems that the chairman is not running Parliament but a circus.” DMK's Tiruchi Siva said there is a “blatant attack” on democracy by the BJP in Parliament.

Trinamool Congress Chief Whip Nadimul Haque said, “this is not a fight against an individual. This is a fight to save one of India’s most important institutions -- Parliament.” 

RJD's Manoj Jha, Samajwadi Party's Javed Ali Khan, NCP (SP) leader Fauzia Khan, CPI(M)'s Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya and John Brittas, CPI's P Sandhosh Kumar, Kerala Congress (M)'s Jose K Mani and JMM's Sarfaraz Ahmad among others also  attended the press meet