Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar conducts proceedings as Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge speaks in the house during the Monsoon session of Parliament, in New Delhi, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024.
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge has shot off a letter to Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar objecting to officials of CPWD, CISF and a private firm entering his chamber in Parliament House without permission or prior intimation.
Kharge told Dhankhar that he was “deeply shocked” to learn that officials of CPWD, CISF and Tata Projects entered his chamber G-19 in the new Parliament building on September 28 “without any prior intimation whatsoever” to him or his office.
“This is an extraordinary development and constitutes a blatant violation of rules and my privileges both as an MP and as Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha in which capacity the Chamber has been allotted to me,” he wrote in the letter sent on October 3.
He said he found “this intrusion highly disrespectful and completely unacceptable” and demanded to know under whose authority and instructions they entered his chamber “without permission”. He wanted the Chairman to take this issue seriously.
Kharge also expressed hope that measures would be taken to ensure that such incidents which undermine the dignity of the Leader of the Opposition do not happen in future again.
“If at all such entry is required, my permission must be sought and must take place with somebody from my office present,” he added.
There was no official word on why officials entered Kharge’s room.