Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar writes to Mallikarjun Kharge, says disruptions unfortunate

Dhankhar has written to Kharge stating that the Congress leader's refusal to meet him during the Winter session of Parliament was not in sync with parliamentary practices.

New Delhi: Refusing to have a meeting with the presiding officer to resolve a stalemate in the Parliament is a “rebuff not in sync” with Parliamentary practice, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar is learnt to have written to Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge.

The letter on Thursday came as the Opposition has been demanding a statement by Home Minister Amit Shah on the security breach in the Parliament on December 23 and subsequent suspension of 146 MPs, including 46 in the Upper House.

Sources said that Dhankhar wrote that he still looked forward to an interaction with Kharge for a “healthy way forward”, adding that to render the House dysfunctional by making on Chair a demand that cannot be acceded is “unfortunate and against public interest”.

Dhankhar in the letter expressed pain at his "continual efforts and requests" seeking a meeting with Kharge to ensure wholesome functioning of the House not finding favour at the other end.

Sources said that the Chairman highlighted that interaction with the presiding officer is of high priority. He reminded Kharge that his request to raise the issue in the House did not meet procedural requirements and he was constrained to deny their admittance.

The letter to Kharge came on the day Rajya Sabha was adjourned sine die. Since December 14, Opposition MPs in both the Houses have been demanding a statement from Shah.

The row escalated earlier this week after Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee mimicked Dhankhar and Rahul Gandhi videographed it. Dhankhar had then said that the Opposition insulted his caste (Jat) and farmers as he belongs to a farmers’ family.

Kharge and senior Opposition leaders, including Sharad Pawar, have criticised Dhankhar for invoking caste in the issue.