What is happening in Parliament now has never happened in the history of independent India, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said on Friday, pointing out how Ram Manohar Lohia's sharp remarks and Jawaharlal Nehru's patience in listening to those are still cited as examples.
Gandhi's remarks came after the turbulent relations between Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar and INDIA bloc parties came to a head on Friday, with the Congress accusing the chair of acting in a "partisan" manner against the entire opposition.
"Congress president and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Khargeji is a strong voice of democracy. He has 50 years of experience in parliamentary politics. Insulting him inside Parliament, not allowing him to speak, switching off microphones and insulting senior women members by those in power are completely unacceptable," Priyanka Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X.
"Our Parliament has been a witness to the fact that no matter how many opposition members there were, their voices were heard. Dr Ram Manohar Lohia's sharp remarks and Pandit Nehru's patience in listening to those are still cited as examples," she said.
What is happening in Parliament today has never happened in the history of independent India nor will the people of the country accept it, Gandhi said.
Soon after opposition members walked out of the Rajya Sabha protesting against what they described as an "unacceptable" tone and disrespect shown by Dhankhar, the Congress held a press conference to claim that the chair is not giving the opposition the importance it deserves in the Upper House of Parliament.
"Opposition parties feel that the chairman's approach is partisan. The Rajya Sabha is a House that sets parameters for other legislatures. In that House, the chairman should not be seen as partisan. The Congress alone does not feel this way, all opposition parties feel that his behaviour is partial towards one side," Congress leader Ajay Maken told the press conference.
The opposition is not getting the importance it deserves in the Upper House, he said.
"If the opposition's voice does not resonate in the Rajya Sabha, where else will it resonate?" he asked.
Congress's deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha Pramod Tiwari alleged that Kharge is not allowed to speak in the House, is frequently interrupted and his microphones are often turned off.
