First Time in History, Says Anguished Dhankhar on Kharge Entering RS Well

Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday expressed anguish over Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge trooping into the Well of the House during an opposition protest, saying it is the first time that a person occupying the post has engaged in such conduct.

On Friday, the House witnessed three adjournments due to protests and sloganeering by the opposition.

Soon after laying the listed papers on the table of the House during the morning session, Dhankhar informed that he had not accepted 22 notices by the opposition leaders to suspend the scheduled business of the day and take up discussion on the alleged irregularities in the NEET.

This led to protests by the MPs of the opposition parties. They started raising slogans and several of them entered into the Well, leading to adjournment of the proceedings.

Just before the adjournment, BJP leader Sudhanshu Trivedi had started speaking on the discussion on a motion to thank the President for her address to the joint sitting of Parliament.

When the House reassembled, there were almost similar scenes and the speech of Trivedi was disrupted.

At one point, Kharge too entered the Well of the House to join the opposition protest.

Dhankhar remarked that the act of coming into the Well by a leader of the opposition has happened for the first time in history and become a “stain” for Parliament.

“I am pained and surprised that Indian parliamentary tradition will stoop to such low that the leader of the opposition will troop into the Well,” he said, before adjourning the proceedings till 2 pm.

Later again, he referred to the incident.

“The kind of conduct, ignoble conduct, a conduct that will hurt every Indian, will put this institution to shame. We are here elected, and get the prestige of being members of the upper house, the House of Elders. If in this House we conduct ourselves in this unruly manner, it is most unfortunate,” the chairman said.

The House later took up the discussions on the motion of the thanks before adjourning for the day around 6 pm.

Rajya Sabha will meet again at 11 am on Monday.