Rajya Sabha adjourned for the day amid ruckus

New Delhi: Increasing acrimony over the move to remove Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar resulted in Rajya Sabha failing to transact any business for another day on Thursday, as the ruling and opposition MPs locked horns over the issue.

Leader of House JP Nadda and later former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda sought to make a spirited defence for Dhankhar even as Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge claimed that the Chairman was encouraging the treasury benches while asking who is allowing disruption in the House.

The tension between both sides were visible as soon as the House assembled at 11 AM with Dhankhar rejecting six notices, including one submitted by Congress’ Renuka Chowdhury seeking to discuss the controversial comments by Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav of Allahabad High Court.

As Dhankhar insisted that the issue could be discussed only through a substantive motion amid Opposition’s protest, Nadda was called to speak during which he condemned Kharge’s remarks criticising the Chairman during a press conference on Wednesday.

Nadda said questioning or criticising the ruling of the Chairman is contempt of both the House and Chair. “This is objectionable and condemnable. It sets a wrong precedent. This needs to be condemned by one and all,” he said, claiming that the Congress has tried to demean the Constitutional post by criticising the Chairman as a “cheerleader” on its official ‘X’ handle.

He also alleged that the notice to remove Dhankhar as Vice President was part of Congress’ plan to “divert” attention from the charges against Congress top leader Sonia Gandhi’s links with billionaire George Soros, who is claimed to be funding an organisation that wants to destabilise India.

Before Dhankhar adjourned the House till 2 PM, Kharge was called to speak but he could not speak much. Amid sloganeering, he said the BJP wants to divert the attention from the main issue, in apparent reference to the Adani issue.

When the House reassembled, the pandemonium continued while Trinamool Congress floor Derek O’Brien wanted to raise an issue on Bangladesh but it was disallowed. Dhankhar then allowed Gowda to speak and the former Prime Minister attacked the Opposition for bringing a resolution against the Chairman.

Gowda said the Opposition was creating a “new precedent”, which would “demolish” the democratic system in the country. “You (Dhankhar) are sitting in an exalted chair. You are not partial while conducting the House,” he said and as sloganeering continued, the House was adjourned for the day.

Congress Rajya Sabha Chief Whip Jairam Ramesh told reporters, “even today we saw what was the need to bring a no-confidence motion against the Chairman. Kharge was not allowed to speak. When the Opposition raises an issue, it does not go on record but when the treasury benches say something, it is on record.”

Nadda alleged that the Congress was trying to bring in “anarchy” and that Kharge and Congress were not cooperating in functioning of the House.

“Kharge-ji has been given enough opportunities to speak in the House, it is on-record that he refused... He was also invited to come to the Chairman's chamber, but he refused to go. It is ridiculous they are talking about Parliamentary traditions,” Nadda said.

Trinamool Congress' Sushmita Dev claimed that the way the Rajya Sabha is being run, it is clear that the government is indulging in censorship. "Issues like unemployment, inflation, Manipur should be raised. But they (BJP) don't want to raise these issues. The Leader of the Opposition was not even given a minute to speak in the house," he said.

CPI floor leader P Sandhosh Kumar alleged that the Rajya Sabha was adjourned due to the "unilateral approach" of the Chairman. "The government does not want the house to function...We have given notice for the impeachment motion which is pending. Soros has become the sorrow of the Rajya Sabha. Why are issues like price rise, unemployment not being raised?" he added.