Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar’s decision to not allow a discussion on the India-China military clash, as demanded by the Congress, has put him on a collision course with the party, with tensions playing out in the Upper House on Thursday.
While the Congress led the Opposition in boycotting the proceedings during the day, Dhankhar objected to Sonia Gandhi’s comments at the Congress Parliamentary Party meeting on Tuesday.
“Observations are severely inappropriate, indicating lack of faith in democracy, making this exceptional response unavoidable,” he said.
Criticising the Modi government, Sonia had spoken about a “calculated attempt” to delegitimise judiciary was under way, and ministers as well as a high constitutional authority have been enlisted to make speeches attacking the judiciary.
Dhankhar had spoken about parliamentary supremacy against the backdrop of the Supreme Court nullifying the NJAC Act.
“The statement imparted by the Chairperson of the UPA is far distanced from my reflections. Delegitimising the judiciary is beyond my contemplation. It is a pillar of democracy. I would urge and expect leaders across the political spectrum to bear in mind not to subject high Constitutional offices to partisan stances,” Dhankhar said.