Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday accommodated some BJP members’ demand to raise an issue even after refusing to suspend the day’s business to discuss it, prompting an Opposition complaint that he had never extended this concession to them.

Four BJP members had demanded a discussion under Rule 267 — that is, by suspending the listed business of the day — on the alleged siphoning of welfare funds by the Karnataka (Congress) government.

Dhankhar refused, saying the issue was not worthy to be taken up under Rule 267. But he said he would allow BJP member Iranna Kadadi to raise it during Zero Hour, when members can speak for three minutes on an issue of national importance.

Notices for discussions under Rule 267 are mostly given by Opposition members. Dhankhar has so far in his two-year stint not allowed a single such notice. Nor, however, had he allowed these issues to be raised during Zero Hour before Friday.

Dhankhar’s predecessor Venkaiah Naidu too had never allowed a notice under Rule 267 but regularly let members from both sides who gave these notices to raise the matter during Zero Hour.

When Dhankhar asked Kadadi to speak on the issue during Zero Hour, Congress members protested saying the matter had not been listed for Zero Hour. Dhankhar said he had allowed the issue to be included under Zero Hour business after the list was prepared.

Congress veteran P. Chidambaram said the matter should be allowed on another day since it had not been listed.

“There is the list of businesses. We did not know there is an unlisted business. If you want to allow it, list it for another day,” he said.

But Kadadi was allowed to speak. Members of the INDIA bloc stood up and protested.

DMK member Tiruchi Siva said the same gesture should be extended to Opposition members when their notices under Rule 267 are rejected.

“I will allow members to raise the issue during Zero Hour if you come to me and tell me that you want to avail this opportunity,” Dhankhar said, appearing to imply the Opposition had never sought this concession.

Eventually, the INDIA bloc members staged a symbolic walkout for a few minutes.