New Delhi: Congress president and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday accused Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar – against whom the INDIA bloc of opposition parties had moved a no-confidence motion on Tuesday --- for being partisan and acting like the “spokesperson of the government” and being the “biggest disruptor” in the House.
Addressing a press conference of MPs from all INDIA bloc parties at the Constitution Club, Kharge regretted having to move the impeachment motion against the Chair. However, he said, “We have been compelled to do so.” He said the Opposition was “standing together on this standing issue”.
Mallikarjun Kharge Speaks On The Reasons For Initiating The Move
Giving out the reasons for initiating the move, Kharge said, “I am sad but the Chairman left us with no option. For three years, he did not give us either time or space to raise critical issues.” The trigger for the notice was the repeated refusal of the Chair to allow a discussion on the Adani issue and other matters being sought by the Congress and the other INDIA bloc parties while allowing ministers and BJP MPs to make controversial statements against them on issues like the alleged link between US businessman George Soros and the members of the Gandhi family.
'Not A Personal Fight,' Says Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge
Denying that it was a “personal fight” between him and the Chair, since the two of them had been involved in several heated spats in the House over the past couple of years, the Congress leader said the notice was not because of any political battles. He insisted that the Chairperson’s actions have “hurt the dignity of India”. Kharge also added that the Opposition expects “protection from the Chairperson but he keeps gesturing to ruling party MPs to speak.” He went on to ask, “who will listen to the opposition if the Chair himself would defend the government?”
The Leader of Opposition also charged that Dhankar “tries to insult opposition leaders” and often “takes to schooling MPs like a headmaster”. He accused the Chairman of “working like the government's spokesperson” and of being “the biggest disruptor of the Rajya Sabha” Earlier, Congress general secretary and MP Jairam Ramesh said they haven’t heard as yet from the Rajya Sabha on the motion of no-confidence moved by them.
