Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday asked Rashtriya Lok Dal member Jayant Chaudhary to speak on the award of the Bharat Ratna to former Prime Minister Charan Singh, triggering Opposition protests because the subject was not on the agenda.

The Centre had on Friday announced the Bharat Ratna for Charan — Jayant’s grandfather and a farmer icon — as well as former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao and agriculture scientist M.S. Swaminathan.

Jayant had then said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had "won (his) heart" while his party sources said he was poised to dump the INDIA bloc and join the NDA.

As Jayant began speaking on Saturday at Dhankhar's invitation, thanking Modi and saying the award had thrilled farmers, Opposition members shouted him down.

After the din, leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge questioned the Chairman’s impromptu decision to allow Jayant to speak on the Ratna for Charan.

"There is no dispute about the Bharat Ratna for these leaders. I salute all of them. But you always ask us about rules when we want to raise any issue. I too want to ask under which rule you allowed him to speak," Kharge said.

"If it’s like this, then please allow us always, too…. You have the discretion; that discretion should be used very judiciously, not as and when you want."

Dhankhar said Charan did not belong to one family but since his grandson was present, it was a matter of pride for the House to listen to him. He said some Congress leaders had made nasty comments when he allowed Jayant to speak.

He added that Jayant had on Friday requested him in writing to let him speak on the matter.

Kharge said: "We salute people who have worked for the country, irrespective of their political party, caste or creed. All could have participated (if the matter had been put on the agenda)…. (But) you started suo motu."

Animal husbandry minister Purshottam Rupala portrayed the Opposition’s objections as an insult to farmers.

He said that while the House wanted to celebrate the Bharat Ratna to great leaders including Charan Singh, a farmer leader, the Congress could not digest it.