Congress president and Rajya Sabha LoP Mallikarjun Kharge has informed Rajya Sabha Chairman and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar that he will not be able to meet the latter, as he is currently out of Delhi.
Dhankhar, on Saturday, had invited Kharge to his residence on December 25 for an interaction on the issue of disruptions in Parliament and the suspension of opposition MPs, saying despite his repeated requests, such a meeting could not happen during the Winter session.
Responding to Kharge's December 22 letter, the Rajya Sabha chairperson had said he wished that the Congress leader's assertion that "we firmly believe in fostering dialogue and discussion" was reflected in actions in the House.
Dhankhar had said the premise of suspensions, contrary to Kharge's stance, was deliberate disorder in the House by way of sloganeering, raising placards, entering the well of the House and gesticulating towards the Chair.
Responding to this, Kharge, in his December 24 letter, wrote that Dhankhar's letter “unfortunately justifies the autocratic and arrogant attitude of the Government towards Parliament”.
“You have also mentioned that disorder was deliberate and strategized and predetermined. I would like to submit that if anything, it is the mass suspension of the Opposition MPs from both Houses of Parliament that seems to be predetermined and premeditated by the Government and I am most sorry to say, executed without any application of mind, as can be seen by the suspension of an INDIA party MP who was not even present in the Parliament,” Kharge wrote in the letter to Dhankhar.
He also accused the government of “weaponising” the suspension of members as a tool to “undermine democracy, sabotage Parliamentary practices and throttle the Constitution”, and that by suspending the Opposition MPs, the government has effectively silenced the “voice of the voters of 146 MPs altogether”.
"The Chairman is the custodian of the house and should be at the forefront to uphold the dignity of the House, defend Parliamentary privileges, and protect people's right of holding its government accountable through the debates, discussion and reply in Parliament,” he wrote, while saying that it was disappointing that Dhankhar feels that suspension of Opposition MPs “facilitated legislative business by passing bills without discussion”.
Though Kharge said that he would meet the VP as soon as he is back in Delhi, he said that “the answer may not lie in a discussion in your chambers if the government is not keen on running the house”.
The Rajya Sabha was adjourned sine die on December 21, a day ahead of the scheduled end of Parliament's Winter session. During the Winter session, which began on December 4, 46 MPs were suspended from the Rajya Sabha for unruly behaviour and misconduct.
