The Opposition parties on Wednesday called Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar the “biggest disruptor” and said they had been compelled to move a notice for his removal because of his “biased” conduct and open defence of the government.

In a media conference on Wednesday, the leaders of 11 INDIA bloc parties alleged that Dhankhar didn’t allow them to speak in the House even though the Treasury benches got enough opportunities to “abuse” Opposition leaders.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said the AAP was absent from the media conference as its leaders had gone to the Election Commission to protest against the alleged deletion of voters in Delhi.

“We regretfully state that the Chairman’s biased and partisan behaviour forced us to bring the notice against him. He has regularly praised the government and describes himself as the ‘Ekalavya of the RSS’. He treats Opposition leaders unfairly by making objectionable and insulting remarks against them. In a planned way, he prevents Opposition leaders from speaking in the House,” the leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, said.

He accused Dhankhar of frequently interrupting the Opposition members, citing the Upper House proceedings on December 9, 10 and 11 to support his argument.

“His conduct in these three days has been troubling, marked by partisanship and lack of fairness. He rejects our notices moved under Rule 267 but allows the Treasury benches to speak on their notices moved under the same rule,” Kharge said.

Kharge said Dhankhar did not allow him to speak despite him raising his hand. “If the Opposition speaks for five minutes, the Chairman speaks for 10 minutes. When the Opposition asks questions to the government, he starts answering. He shields the government and speaks as its spokesperson. The biggest disruptor in the Rajya Sabha is the Chairman himself,” Kharge said.

On Tuesday, the INDIA parties had submitted a notice seeking Dhankhar’s removal as Chairman.

On Wednesday, Dhankhar chaired the House in the morning session. He said five notices had been received under Rule 267 seeking the suspension of listed businesses for discussions on different issues. Before he could read out the subjects of the notices, the BJP members started demanding a discussion on the alleged links between the Congress and foreign agencies, and the “plot to destabilise the nation”.

Dhankhar allowed parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju to speak. Rijiju spoke for three minutes and criticised the Opposition for bringing the notice against Dhankhar.

“In 72 years, the son of a farmer has reached the position of Vice-President. He has raised the status of the House. You (Opposition) are making unnecessary allegations against him. You have no right to be members of this House,” Rijiju said.

The minister linked Congress leader Sonia Gandhi to Hungarian-American businessman George Soros, alleging that the latter was working towards destabilising India.

Congress leader Pramod Tiwari, who was allowed to speak for a minute, said those in the Treasury benches were “killers of the Constitution”.

Amid protests and sloganeering from both sides, the House was adjourned from 11.15am till noon.

When the House reassembled, Deputy Chairman Harivansh tried to conduct Question Hour. As the BJP members protested, he allowed the leader of the Houseand BJP president J.P. Nadda to speak.

“Our people are raising the issue of the link between Soros and Sonia Gandhi. This is a question about the sovereignty of the nation. To divert attention from this, the Opposition parties have targeted the Chairman,” Nadda said. The House was adjourned for the day immediately after Nadda’s speech.

At the media conference, Kharge said members were not supposed to make allegations against each other in the House without moving a notice. “Sonia Gandhi is a senior member. Without moving any notice, they are taking her name. Rahul Gandhi is a member of another House. They are criticising him in the Rajya Sabha,” he said.

RJD leader Manoj Jha said the notice against Dhankhar had been moved to restore democratic traditions.