Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Dec 11: The Opposition leaders on Wednesday defended their move to bring a no-confidence motion against the Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar stating that they were forced to initiate the move because he was the biggest disruptor” of the Upper House and “his conduct has damaged the pride of the nation.”
The Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge while addressing a press conference on Wednesday afternoon stressed that there was no “personal fight” against Mr Dhankhar but had to step up to save the democracy as his actions have hurt the dignity of India.
Launching a scathing attack on the Vice President, Mr Kharge said, “We have been compelled to take this step. We have already given a notice. The opposition is here to speak, standing together, on this sensitive issue. I am sad to say the Chairman left us with no option. For three years, he gave us neither time nor space to raise critical issues.” “We expect protection from the Chairperson… but he keeps gesturing to ruling party MPs to speak. Who will listen to the opposition when the Chair himself defends the government?”
Mr Kharge, the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, accused the chairman of behaving in a “Partisan manner” and claimed that “politics has taken precedence over rules” in the Upper House. “Since 1952, no resolution has been brought under Article 67 as VP never indulged in politics. But Now Politics has taken precedence over rules in the Rajya Sabha; chairman has indulged in partisan behaviour,” Kharge alleged.
“We have no personal enmity or political fight with him. We want to tell the countrymen that we have taken this step to safeguard the democracy and the Constitution and after giving a lot of thought to it,” he said.
Mr Kharge also alleged that the Rajya Sabha chairman’s conduct had been contrary to the post’s dignity as he targets opposition leaders and often praises the government. “He acts like school headmaster, gives sermons to experienced opposition leaders, stops them from speaking,” he alleged.
The Rajya Sabha couldn’t function on Wednesday due to ruckus in the House on various issues. In brief, but hard-hitting remarks Mr Kharge said the Chair “tries to insult opposition leaders” and “indulges in schooling MPs like a headmaster”. “He is working like the government’s spokesperson… the biggest disruptor of the Rajya Sabha is the Chairperson… (but the) notice for is not about personal grievances or political battles,” he said.
Mr Kharge asserted that the opposition bloc stood united on this matter and the chairman compelled them to take this step. He further asserted that the since the past three years, Dhankhar gave the opposition no time or space to raise critical issues.
Mr Kharge’s comments came hours after the Congress-led opposition submitted a no-confidence motion against Mr Dhankhar, on grounds of partisan functioning of the House under his stewardship. The motion triggered (inevitably) a row as BJP MPs hit back. Both Houses were then adjourned.
In a first, parties of the INDIA bloc on Tuesday submitted a notice to bring a motion in Rajya Sabha for the removal of Mr Dhankhar as the chairman of the Upper House. If the motion is moved, these parties will need a simple majority to get it passed, but they do not have the requisite numbers in the 243-member House. Opposition members, however, insisted that it was a “strong message to fight for parliamentary democracy.”
On Tuesday, after the motion was filed, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju led the government’s counter. “The NDA has the majority in Rajya Sabha… The notice must be rejected, will be rejected and we will ensure that this kind of action is not accepted,” Mr Rijiju said. Mr Rijiju launched an impassioned defence of the Rajya Sabha Chair, describing him as “our guide” and accusing the Congress of having repeatedly insulted the post and Mr Dhankhar.
The proximate cause for the motion – the opposition and Mr Dhankhar have had several run-ins over the course of his tenure so far – was a face-off between Congress and BJP MPs this week over the latter’s claim of collusion between Sonia Gandhi and businessman George Soros.
The attack – claiming links between Mrs Gandhi and a think-tank partially funded by Mr Soros’ foundation, which has advocated for an independent Kashmir – was led in the Rajya Sabha by the Health Minister and the BJP president JP Nadda, who said the link “maligns India and raises national security concerns.” Mr Nadda also accused the Congress of acting as the “tool” of foreign forces.
Responding for the Congress, Mr Kharge slammed the “lie” and argued his party was always, and remains, committed to upholding India’s democratic values. The unfounded allegations, he said, were a ploy by the BJP to divert the people’s attention from issues affecting the country.
The Congress and the opposition have said Mr Dhankhar’s handling of that face-off underlined the partisan functioning of the House. Mr Kharge pointed out BJP MPs were allowed to speak, on record, about Mrs Gandhi and George Soros, while the Chair turned down opposition MPs’ trying to speak on other issues, such as the ethnic violence in Manipur and the farmers’ protest. Both Mr Nadda and Mr Kharge were later summoned to meet Mr Dhankhar in his chamber. The no-confidence motion was submitted the following day, i.e., Tuesday.
The motion is unlikely to pass, given the opposition does not have the numbers and because it bypasses a rule stating notice of 14 days is required for the House to consider a vote. The current Parliament session ends on December 20, nine days away. The BJP and its allies have 121 members in the 23-member Rajya Sabha, while the Opposition parties have 86 members. The non-aligned parties like the YSRCP, BJD, AIADMK, BRS and BSP have a total of 24 members.
