Winter Session: Kharge reminds Parliament of Dhankhar's exit; BJP replies
A controversy erupted in the Rajya Sabha after Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge welcomed new Chairman C P Radhakrishnan but remarked on the "unprecedented" exit of former Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar. "I hope you will not mind that I am constrained to refer to your predecessor's completely unexpected and sudden exit...The Chairman...belongs as much to the opposition as to the government." "I was disheartened that the house did not get an opportunity to bid him a farewell," he said.
Rijiju accuses Congress of tarnishing dignity of the chair
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju responded by reminding Kharge of the language used by Congress against the former Vice President and Chairman, Dhankhar. Rijiju addressed the House, saying, "The unkind words you used about the former Chairman," referring to the language used by Congress, including in a removal motion. He added, "The words you used in the removal notice, just think how much you have tarnished the dignity of the Chair...please do not refer to anything which is not necessary."
Kharge's remarks on Dhankhar's exit spark controversy
Responding to Kharge, Leader of House in Rajya Sabha JP Nadda said because the opposition lost in the Bihar, Haryana and Maharashtra elections, it is dwelling on "irrelevant" topics. "If we start discussing the issue that our Leader of the Opposition brought up...I think it's irrelevant." "I think our Leader of the Opposition is very respectable. The defeat in Bihar, Haryana, and Maharashtra has caused you considerable pain...But you should express your pain and suffering to a doctor," he jibed.
Dhankhar resigned in July
Dhankhar had resigned from his position in July this year, citing health reasons. The resignation came amid controversy over an opposition-backed notice seeking the removal of Justice Yashwant Varma, which was allegedly accepted by Dhankhar in the Rajya Sabha. The judge had been in the news for a huge cash recovery at his official residence in Delhi.