The opposition boycotted the Rajya Sabha proceedings on the last day of the Budget session of the Parliament, after a serious disagreement with Speaker Jagdeep Dhankhar over the alleged remarks against the leader of the opposition and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge by BJP MP Ghanshyam Tiwari. The treasury benches moved a motion to condemn the actions of the Opposition, with allies calling for punitive measures against the opposition leader.
There was a sharp exchange of words between Mr. Dhankhar and Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan, who criticized the Chairman’s “tone” and “body language”.
‘Massured in room’
The confrontation started in the afternoon, the beginning of Question Hour, when Congress Chief Whip Jairam Ramesh asked about the status of the Speaker’s decision on the written complaint of the Congress asking him to remove Mr. Tiwari’s remarks against Mr. Kharge, made. on August 1.
Mr. Dhankhar said that the BJP member actually praised Mr. Kharge in Sanskrit. Noting that “people don’t apologize when they praise”, he claimed that the matter had been resolved amicably between the two of them in their room.
However, Mr. Kharge insisted on clarification on the floor of the DPR. “You have to say the same thing that has been explained to me in the room… It is better to do it in the House,” he said. The opposition later demanded an apology from Mr Tiwari, with DMK MP Tiruchi Siva and Congress MP Pramod Tiwari both explaining that the tone and tenor of the BJP MP had been derogatory.
‘Unacceptable tone’
At this time, the Chairman allowed Ms. Bachchan said, calling him the last speaker on the issue. “Main kalakar hoon, body language samajhti hoon, expression samajhti hoon… par sir, mujhe maaf kariyega magar apka tone jo hai (I’m an artist, I understand body language and expressions. I’m sorry but your tone) is unacceptable. We are colleagues sir, (although) you can sit on the couch,” he said.
Mr. Dhankhar retaliated, saying that he did not want to go to school. “You can be anyone. You can be a celebrity. You have to know good manners. I will not bear it. Don’t have the impression that only you build a reputation. We came here with a reputation. We live with a reputation,” he said.
‘MP, not a celebrity’
As TMC MP Sushmita Dev refuted the remarks, saying that Ms. Bachchan is an MP and not a celebrity in the House, Mr. Dhankhar shot back saying, “Senior MPs have no license to tarnish the reputation of parliament. seats, to question the tone and tenor.”
Mr. Dhankhar accused Mr. Kharge of trying to turn the House into an “epicenter of disturbance” and criticized the Opposition for “disrespecting” democracy and the Constitution.
The furious opposition, which was not allowed to respond, staged a joint walkout and did not return for another day.
After the walk, Ms. Bachchan told reporters that she objected to the tone used by the Chairman. “We are not school children. I was upset with the tone and especially when LoP stood up to speak, the mic was turned off. How can you do this? If they are not going to be heard in the House, then what are we doing? Besides, every time (he) used unparliamentary words,” he said.
Punitive action
After the opposition walked out, the treasury benches spent Question Hour slamming their actions. House leader and BJP president JP Nadda moved a “censure motion” against the opposition. All members of the ruling Democratic National Alliance criticized the Opposition and called for punitive action against their behavior.
Rashtriya Lok Dal leader Jayant Chaudhary called for the suspension of the errant members, while Janata Dal (United) leader Sanjay Jha accused Congress Parliamentary Party chief Sonia Gandhi (who was not named but was referred to as the party’s “supreme authority”) of instigating the confrontation. Praful Patel, who is a member of the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party, Ramdas Athawale of the Republican Party of India, and GK Vasan of the Tamil Maanila Congress were among others who slammed the opposition party, calling it an unprecedented act of wrongdoing.
Former Prime Minister Deve Gowda, the 92-year-old Janata Dal (Secular) leader told Mr. Dhankhar: “You are trying to resolve the issue between Ghanshayam Tiwari and the Leader of the Opposition. You have invited both of them into the room and resolved the issue.
‘It hurts so much’
At the end of the evening’s welcome, the Chairman said that he respects every member and has no personal problems with anyone, adding that he is very hurt by the use of indecent language without a premise, and the decision to gain traction by going to the media.
“My room, the room of the Chairman of the State Council, the House of Elders, the Upper House, has been marked that there is a closed incident, wrong information, that what I discussed with Mr. Tiwari was only with him. If the truth takes wings, the nation will flourish,” he said.
