'I am married for 45 years, I don't get angry', Jagdeep Dhankhar's remark in Rajya Sabha brings the house down

New Delhi, August 3

Advertisement

Amid continuous acrimony between ruling BJP and INDIA alliance parties in Rajya Sabha, Chairman of the House Jagdeep Dhankhar on Thursday tried to create a light-hearted moment in the House when he said, “I am married for 45 years, I do not get angry,” while responding to a remark by Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge.

Kharge was insisting that the business of the House be set aside to prioritise Rule 267, which allows for the suspension of rules to debate an urgent matter with the Chairman’s approval.

“You said that to accept it, there should be a reason. I stated the reason. Yesterday, I requested you the same, but maybe you were angry,” Kharge told the Chairman.

This led Dhankhar to respond saying: “I am a married man for more than 45 years, main kabhi gussa nahi karta (I never get angry). Trust me,” and the House burst into laughter.

In the midst of the light-hearted banter, Dhankhar continued with a touch of humour, “Mr Chidambaram is a very distinguished senior advocate we know, as a senior advocate we have no right to show our anger, at least to authorities. You are an authority. Isko modify kardo thoda. (Please modify this statement).”

Then Kharge, too, responded in an equally lighter vein, saying: “You don’t get angry, you don’t show anger, but you get angry from inside.”

However, before this Dhankhar and Kharge exchanged barbs over the former’s refusal to direct the Prime Minister to come to the House for a discussion over Manipur.

The Opposition and the Government agreed to hold a discussion on the violence in Manipur. Dhankhar stated that he will call the floor leaders of parties to his chambers at 1 pm and “accommodate a discussion on Manipur irrespective of time and other constraints.”

Following this, Kharge suggested that the House be adjourned till 1 pm. He went on to say, “Sir, you don’t agree to such small requests. We asked for the Prime Minister to come, you didn’t agree to that either. You are defending the PM so much…I don’t understand.”

On this Dhankhar said, “Our Prime Minister does not need to be defended by me. He has come to be recognised on global platforms — Senate and Congress in the US… Every Indian should be proud of him… Why are you shirking from the hard reality, India is rising as never before. The rise is unstoppable… Everyone has contributed to it. I am not required to defend anyone.”

“After three decades of coalition government under the PM, I am not required to defend anyone. I am required to defend the Constitution. I am required to defend your rights,” Dhankhar added.