Mallikarjun Kharge : Amidst the continuous uproar in the Rajya Sabha and the no-confidence motion brought against Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, today Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge expressed his anger. Kharge alleged that the opposition is being deprived of the right to speak in the House. Kharge said that Chairman Dhankhar constantly taunts and takes the side of the ruling party. Let us tell you that the opposition has opened a front against the Chairman in the Rajya Sabha and a campaign is being run to bring a no-confidence motion.

What did Kharge say

Leader of Opposition in the Upper House Mallikarjun Kharge said, violation of the right of the opposition to speak and expression of views has become a common thing in the Rajya Sabha. Rajya Sabha Chairman Dhankhar always suppresses the freedom of expression of the opposition by constantly interrupting and unnecessarily insisting on verification. The Rajya Sabha Chairman repeatedly criticizes opposition leaders outside the House, often repeating the arguments of the ruling party.

Kharne said, the Chairman of Rajya Sabha regularly gives instructions to remove important parts of the speeches of opposition members including the Leader of Opposition from the proceedings of the House in an arbitrary and unfortunate manner. Chairman of Rajya Sabha Dhankhar took unilateral decisions on matters like installing statues at other places, changes in the security system.

The tradition of impartiality completely broken The Congress President also alleged that the tradition of impartiality has been completely broken during Dhankhar's tenure. The opposition parties have given a notice to bring a motion to remove Dhankhar from the post of Vice President. After the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha were adjourned for the day on Thursday, Kharge made sharp attacks on the Chairman and said that he was not allowed to speak in the House. Kharge posted on X, Democracy always runs on two wheels. One wheel is the ruling party and the other is the opposition. Both are needed. The country listens to the views of the MPs only when the House functions. On 16 May 1952, the first Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Dr. Radhakrishnan ji had told the MPs that I do not belong to any party and this means that I belong to every party in the House.

He claimed that this tradition of impartiality has been completely broken during Dhankhar's tenure. The Congress President said, Parliament is the nurturing house of democracy. Parliament is the mirror of parliamentary decorum. Parliament is the place to fix the accountability of the government. Where today stifling the voice of the opposition has become the rule of parliamentary procedure in the Rajya Sabha...where violation of the decorum and morality-based traditions of Parliament has now become a routine in the Rajya Sabha. He claimed that the attempt to crush democracy and defeat the truth is continuing and unabated.

Kharge said, as soldiers and protectors of the Constitution, our resolve has become stronger. We will neither bow down, nor be suppressed, nor stop and will always be ready for every sacrifice to protect the Constitution, parliamentary decorum and democracy. However, these same forces prevented me from telling the truth in Parliament today, I will put 10 points before the people of the country. Members have full right to speak their mind in Parliament, but the Chairman constantly interrupts the opposition, does not give them a chance to complete their point. The Congress President claimed that the Chairman has misused his powers and suspended members in bulk many times. The suspension of some members was continued even after the completion of the session, which was against the rules and traditions.

Kharge alleged, the Chairman has criticised the opposition leaders many times even outside the House. He often repeats the arguments of the BJP and makes political comments on the opposition. He teaches senior leaders lessons like school children every day, there is no sense of parliamentary dignity and respect for others in his behaviour. He claimed that the Chairman is seen unduly flattering the government both in and outside the House. Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said, the Chairman arbitrarily removes parts of the speeches of opposition members from the proceedings. Even important parts of the speech of the Leader of Opposition have been directed to be removed from the proceedings arbitrarily and maliciously, while allowing even the most objectionable statements of the ruling party members to remain on record.

He says, the Chairman has never allowed any discussion under Rule 267. He does not even allow opposition members to read the notice, while for the last three days, he is calling the members of the ruling party by name on the notice under Rule 267. Kharge said, during the tenure of the Chairman, the coverage of Sansad TV is completely one-sided. Most of the time, only the Chair and the people of the ruling party are shown. Any movement of the opposition is blacked out. When an opposition leader speaks, the camera remains on the Chair for a long time. The rules of broadcasting of Sansad TV have been changed arbitrarily. He alleged that the Chairman has taken many decisions completely arbitrarily.