RS Chief's Partisan Behaviour Led To Move Notice For His Removal: Oppn

New Delhi: Several opposition parties on Wednesday said Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar's "partisan" conduct prompted them to move a notice for his removal as vice president and accused him of being the "biggest disrupter" whose conduct in the House has harmed the country's dignity.

Alleging that politics has taken precedence over rules in the Upper House of Parliament, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the chairman's con-duct has been contrary to the dignity of the high post he holds.

Addressing a press conference at the Constitution Club here, Kharge alleged that Dhankhar is working as a government spokesperson and acting like a school headmaster, often sermonising experienced opposition leaders and preventing them from speaking in the House.

He also claimed that Dhankhar himself is responsible for the disruptions in the House, adding that the chairman openly encourages and provokes the mem-bers of the treasury benches to make outrageous comments against the op-position, undermining the dignity of the House.

"The Rajya Sabha chairman's conduct has been contrary to the dignity of the post he holds. He targets opposition leaders and often praises the govern-ment," Kharge said. "Politics has taken precedence over rules in the Rajya Sabha and the chairman has indulged in partisan behaviour," he alleged.

"The Rajya Sabha chairman's conduct in the House has harmed the country's dignity," Kharge also alleged. "We have no hesitation in saying that the biggest disrupter in the Rajya Sabha is the chairman himself," he said, adding, "His loyalty is towards the ruling party, instead of the Constitution and constitutional traditions. We can see that he is acting as a government spokesperson for the sake of his next promotion."

The Congress chief said since 1952, no resolution has been brought against the vice president under Article 67 of the Constitution as those who held the post previously never indulged in politics and remained unbiased.

"The notice for the Rajya Sabha chairman's removal is not about personal grievances or political battles. We are fed up with his behaviour and partiality. That is why we have given the notice for his removal," he said.

"This (behaviour) is not just a breach of protocol but a betrayal of the Consti-tution and the people of India," Kharge added. He said the opposition parties have nothing against Dhankhar, "but he left us with no option but to go ahead with the notice for his removal". "We appeal to the people of India to under-stand that this notice has been filed after thorough consideration and delibera-tions, with the sole purpose of safeguarding the Constitution and protecting the integrity of our parliamentary democracy," Kharge said.

Kharge was backed by other opposition leaders, who said they have never witnessed such partisan behaviour from the chairman.