New Delhi, Aug 8: Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Thursday alleged that he was not getting Opposition’s support and that it feels he is unworthy of the job before announcing he was leaving the House with a heavy heart.
Following an uproar after the Congress and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) demanded a discussion on wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification at the Olympics, Dhankhar said he would have to leave for some time although he was not walking away from his oath.
As soon as the House proceeding began, the TMC leaders sought to discuss the disqualification and said they had given a notice. Dhankhar did not permit the members to speak and did not refer to any decision about the notice, which triggered protests from the Opposition.
Opposition leader Mallikarjun Kharge said the House should discuss the issue and know “who is behind” the disqualification.
TMC’s Derek O’Brien urged Dhankhar to allow the members to speak. He rose to demand a discussion on the notice, but Dhankhar chided him for raising his voice and being indecorous. “You are shouting at the Chair. Your conduct is ugliest in the House. I condemn your actions. Next time, I will show you the door,” Dhankhar told O’Brien as the Opposition walked out.
Dhankhar said the Opposition’s conduct violated the House decorum and insulted the chairman. “We have seen the ugliest phase of democracy during Emergency. It starts with a challenge to the parliamentary institutions,” he said. He said the whole nation’s heart was bleeding for Phogat, but the incident cannot be monetised and politicised.
House leader JP Nadda called the Opposition’s conduct condemnable. “Democracy allows people to put forth their views, but there is a process to be followed,” he said. Nadda said the issue of Phogat’s disqualification cannot be seen as a political issue of government versus Opposition.
