New Delhi: High drama took place in Rajya Sabha on Friday with Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar taking exception to Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge's "started reading" portions of his speech on Thursday which were expunged. After the Chairperson announced that the portions read out by Kharge today will also be expunged, Congress MPS and some other Opposition members trooped to the well of the House shouting slogans in protest against the Chairman's decision.
After they refused to go back to their seats, despite repeated urgings by the Chairperson, the latter named several Opposition MPs including many from Congress and directed them to "withdraw from the House." " I name all these people to withdraw from the House."
Following this Leader of the House and Union Minister Piyush Goyal rose to move a motion seeking the removal of the said MPs from the House but then urged the Chairman that since the Opposition MPs have some regret, instead of taking action against them, he should call them for a discussion and then see if they have any desire for maintaining order.
"With a heavy heart, I would like to move a motion in view of the disorderly behaviour. Sir, it seems that they do have some regret. I urge you to call them for a discussion instead of taking action. Have a discussion in your chamber and then see if they have an interest in maintaining order," said Giyal.
The Chairman then rose to his feet and said he was grateful for being saved from taking the most unpalatable decision. "The last thing I would want is to direct a member of the Opposition to take part in the proceedings of the House because the member does that the member outrages the confidence of the electorate. Let me put the record straight. I am grateful that you saved me from taking the most unpalatable decision," said Dhankhar.
"Now Honourable Leader of the Opposition has raised an important issue: I called him and then rose after calling the Leader of the House. Honourable members need to know why I so conducted myself. I got up because LOP started reading the portions I had expunged. Now can that ever be allowed? No. Now I think I am on firm ground Leader of the House or Leader of the Opposition seeks leave of the CHair to take the floor and then reads portions that have been expunged," he added.
The Chairman then invited all the floor leaders to discuss and come out with a solution to the issue. "The world knows what happened yesterday, The Prime Minister of the largest democracy was on his legs and I had the occasion of people coming so close to me. I could have taken recourse even today also. I am thankful to wiser counsel that I will save. May I please request all of you to permit me to take only the listed business and then I invite floor leaders for a brainstorming session and only the floor leaders so that we can deliberate discuss and come out with a formulation," he said.
