Dhankhar leaves RS briefly amid Oppn call for Phogat discussion

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 8

In an unprecedented move on Thursday, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar briefly left the House protesting “unruly conduct” of the Opposition, which was demanding answers on wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification from the Olympics.

In what the Chairman’s office called a “Gandhian protest”, Dhankhar left the House chamber for some time after Opposition leaders vociferously raised the Vinesh matter and LoP Mallikarjun Kharge asked “who is behind her disqualification”.

Vinesh being disrespected

They think only their heart is bleeding. The entire nation is in pain, but to monetise it, politicise it, is the greatest disrespect to that girl. — Jagdeep Dhankhar, Vice-president

The Opposition has been alleging that there is a conspiracy behind Vinesh’s shock exit from the medal race. Ignoring Kharge’s and TMC’s Derek O Brien’s zero hour interventions on the controversial issue, Dhankhar ticked off the Trinamool leader, saying: “Your tone is the ugliest. You are shouting at the chair. I condemn your actions and will show you the door next time.”

As Opposition demands grew noisier and louder, Dhankhar decried attempts to politicise the issue even as the Congress-led INDIA bloc walked out in protest. Once they left, leader of Rajya Sabha JP Nadda condemned the Opposition for “politicising the Vinesh issue”.

“They think only their heart is bleeding. The entire nation is in pain, but to monetise it, politicise it, is the greatest disrespect to that girl,” Dhankhar said about Vinesh.

He then proceeded to slam the Opposition’s “misconduct” and said he had long been facing challenges in the House despite efforts to take everyone along.

“Turning this House into a centre of chaos is an affront to democracy. Tarnishing the dignity of the Chair, creating a physically challenging environment, this is not just indecorous conduct, but a behaviour that transgresses all boundaries,” Dhankhar said.

He lamented that he was being attacked with words, letters and now media. “A leading newspaper has made extremely incorrect remarks,” he said, adding that these challenges were not directed at him, but at the Chair as many believed he was not fit to occupy it.

At this point, Dhankhar, pointing to Congress chief whip Jairam Ramesh, said: “Stop laughing. I know your habit.” An angry Dhankhar told MPs that he now had only one option left to make his point — leave the chair. “Given what I witnessed today, the behaviour exhibited by members, both physically and otherwise, I find myself incapable of continuing to sit here for some time,” Dhankhar said as he left the House.