Kolkata metro to be extended till Hooghly's Chuchura? Here's what Railway minister says
Union Minister and Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha, J.P. Nadda, condemned the actions of Congress leaders, particularly Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, for questioning the authority of Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar. Nadda criticized the Opposition for undermining the constitutional position of the Chairman, stating that the Chairman's rulings on admissibility and other parliamentary proceedings should not be questioned or criticized. He described such actions as "contempt of the House and the Chairman."
In his address to the Rajya Sabha, Nadda emphasized that questioning the Chair's ruling or decisions is a violation of parliamentary procedures. “The Chair cannot be questioned with regard to admissibility or for any other purposes. The Chairman's ruling cannot be questioned or criticised; to do so is contempt of the House and the Chairman,” he said. Nadda expressed his disappointment that Kharge, as a senior leader with vast parliamentary experience, chose to criticize the Chairman's decisions publicly.
Nadda specifically responded to Kharge’s allegations that he was being denied an opportunity to speak in the Rajya Sabha. He clarified that the Chairman had made repeated attempts to invite Kharge to participate in discussions, but Kharge had not participated in those proceedings. According to Nadda, Kharge had refused to engage in the House and had even skipped the last meeting of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC). Nadda suggested that this behavior showed a lack of interest in the functioning of the House and democratic processes.
The Leader of the House also addressed Kharge's accusations that the Chairman had been undermining the Opposition’s ability to participate effectively. Nadda countered that the Chairman had made several invitations for Kharge to speak, but the Leader of the Opposition had repeatedly declined. Nadda emphasized that Kharge’s failure to participate in discussions or attend meetings showed a lack of commitment to parliamentary work, despite being given opportunities to engage.
Nadda also condemned the Congress for making derogatory remarks about Dhankhar and undermining his position. He highlighted that certain Congress leaders had mocked the Chairman, which Nadda described as an attempt to disrespect the constitutional office. He stated that such actions set a dangerous precedent for the respect of constitutional institutions and procedures.
In addition, Nadda questioned the focus of the Opposition on the Chairman’s conduct, stating that their criticisms were intended to divert attention from national issues. He pointed out that the Opposition had used disruptions in the Rajya Sabha to avoid discussions on important matters. Nadda also raised concerns about the Opposition’s stance on democratic processes, accusing Congress of seeking to derail parliamentary proceedings and deflect attention from critical issues facing the country.
This confrontation is part of ongoing tensions between the ruling BJP and the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha. The Opposition has accused the Chairman of being biased and partisan in his rulings, while the BJP maintains that the disruptions are aimed at obstructing legislative work. The Rajya Sabha has seen repeated adjournments due to disruptions, with both sides continuing to clash over parliamentary procedures and the role of the Chairman.