Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar and the Congress were on a collision course on Thursday after the former targeted its leader Rahul Gandhi’s remarks in London about Opposition being denied opportunity to raise issues in Parliament, calling upon "intelligentsia, media and youth" to "rise to the occasion, expose" and "neutralise" those who "run down" the country's "democratic values".
Congress hit back in equal measure with General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh issuing a statement, saying Dhankhar "rushed to the defence of a government from which he is constitutionally required to be at arm's-length" and that he "cannot be a cheerleader for any ruling dispensation" while reminding him that history measures leaders "not on the zealousness with which they defended their party but the dignity with which they performed their roles in the service of the people".
Dhankhar also sought to defend the appointment of his eight personal staff in 20 Parliamentary Committees, saying he did so after getting inputs from a number of MPs and Chairmen of committees to do something affirmative to improve productivity. However, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, who is the chairperson of a Parliamentary Standing Committee, refuted Dhankhar's claims about consultations and said that he had not been consulted on the "controversial move" at all, as claimed.
The Congress had earlier objected to Dhankhar expunging Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge's remarks during a debate as well as suspension of a Congress MP during the first leg of Budget Session and the latest remarks by the Chairman is likely to further fuel this discord, especially with the Parliament reconvening on Monday for the second leg of Session.
The Chairman, who is also Vice President, made the remarks while delivering a speech after releasing Dr Karan Singh's book Mundaka Upanishad at his official residence.
Dhankhar did not mention Rahul by name but his reference about "50 minute speech" and remarks in London made it clear that he was referring to the comments by the top Congress leader. He also referred to Emergency during Indira Gandhi's period to drive home his point but Ramesh countered it saying there "may be no declaration of emergency but make no mistake, the actions of this regime are not those of a secure government that respects the Constitution" and the Vice President's present and past remarks "only serve to underscore this point".
In his speech, Dhankhar said it was "ironic" and "painful" that some amongst us, including MPs, were engaged in "thoughtless, unfair denigration of our well-nurtured democratic values" at a time the world is applauding India's functional and vibrant democracy and how can he sanctify a statement that mikes in Indian Parliament were put off.
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"How can people say so? Has there been any illustration? Yes! We did have a dark chapter of our political history. Proclamation of Emergency was the darkest period any democracy can suffer. Indian democratic polity is now mature. There can be no repeat of that," he said.
"Anyone who says so, inside or outside the country, that in the Indian Parliament mikes are put off...Imagine this being done after having held the floor for nearly 50 minutes. Such kind of wanton and misadventure to run down our democratic values cannot be countenanced. I call upon everyone - intelligentsia, media and youth who are our warriors of 2047 to rise to the occasion, expose these forces and neutralise them," he said.
Dhankhar was referring to Rahul's nearly 50 minute speech in Lok Sabha in February during the debate on Motion of Thanks to the President's Address while claiming that he was not a "not a stakeholder in politics" and that he does not "engage in a partisan stance" but does believe in Constitutional duties .
"How can we justify such wanton orchestration of a factually untenable narrative? And mark the timing of this unwholesome misadventure. While India is having its moments of glory as President of G20 and there are people outside of the country working in overdrive to denigrate us," he said.
Dhankhar said such "misplaced campaign mode to taint and tarnish our Parliament and Constitutional entities is too serious and exceptional to be ignored or countenanced" and no political strategy or partisan stance can justify compromising nationalism and democratic values.
"If I observe silence on this misadventure-orchestration by a Member of Parliament outside the country which is ill-premised, unwholesome and motivated, I would be on the wrong side of the constitution. It will be constitutional culpability and outrage of my oath of office," he said.
He also sought to defend the appointment of his eight personal staff in 20 Parliamentary Committees saying he did so after getting inputs from a number of MPs and Chairmen of committees to do something affirmative to improve productivity.
"So, I sharpened the human resource attached to Committees. I put research-oriented, knowledgeable people so that they can help the Committee members to optimise output and performance. But a narrative has been set afloat by sections of media that the Chairman has appointed his own members to the Committees. Has anyone even checked the facts?" he said.
"Committees comprise the Members of Parliament. It is their exclusive domain. I am terribly upset and concerned about what our editors are doing. Can you engage in such a narrative that is based on falsehood? And you don’t care to check the truth. I have acted because the Chairmen and Members had come up to me and I am doing it after multi-layered consultations," he said.
Ramesh tweeted, "The Chairman of the Rajya Sabha has said that his controversial move to have his staff attached to various Committees was after consultations with the respective Chairpersons. I chair a Standing Committee and I can categorically say I wasn't consulted at all."