The Opposition in the Rajya Sabha on Monday confronted Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar in protest against the expunction of remarks made by Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge last week, suspension of a Congress member and rejection of its notices for a discussion on the Adani issue, including a joint parliamentary committee probe.
Very little business could be transacted as Dhankhar adjourned proceedings till March 13 — the post-recess part of the budget session — during Question Hour when it became clear that the Opposition was in no mood to relent even after he initiated the disciplinary action of naming some members.
While he named only eight on the floor of the House when Opposition MPs entered the Well, the parliamentary bulletin issued in the evening listed 16 names — 12 from the Congress and four from AAP. “Due to gross disorderly conduct in violation of the rules and etiquette of Rajya Sabha by the following members, who entered the ‘Well’ of the House, shouted slogans, and persistently and willfully obstructed the proceedings of the House, the Chair repeatedly adjourned the House,” the bulletin said, listing the 16 names.
The suggestion to name the members came from the government as the Opposition shouted slogans and walked into the Well. Intervening, Leader of the House and Union minister Piyush Goyal said: “They are repeatedly disrupting... I don’t know whether you will have to name the members and take appropriate action against them.”
Immediately, Dhankhar started naming the members but with disruptions continuing decided to adjourn proceedings for a while midway.
Dhankhar has over the past week come under sharp criticism from the Congress in particular after several portions of Kharge’s speech during the discussion on the motion of thanks to the President’s address were expunged.
The suspension of Congress MP Rajani Patil last Friday for making a video of the proceedings agitated the Opposition even further and the 14 parties that met in the Leader of Opposition’s office before the House convened on Monday morning decided to step up the protests.
