Opposition Walks Out of Rajya Sabha After Heated Exchange with Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar
On August 9, in New Delhi, a heated argument took place in the Rajya Sabha, leading to the Opposition walking out. The conflict began when BJP MP Ghanshyam Tiwari made remarks against the Leader of the Opposition, Mallikarjun Kharge, on August 1. Congress MPs demanded an apology from Tiwari, but Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar stated that the issue had been resolved privately.
The Opposition also wanted Tiwari’s remarks to be removed from the records. Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan criticized the Chairman’s tone, which led to further tension. Chairman Dhankhar responded strongly, saying he did not need to be schooled and had his own script. This prompted the Opposition to stage a walkout.
As the Opposition left, Chairman Dhankhar referenced the Quit India movement anniversary, suggesting the Opposition was abandoning their duty. BJP President JP Nadda condemned the Opposition’s behavior and moved a ‘Ninda Prastav’ (condemnation motion). Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan demanded an apology from the Opposition, calling their actions an insult to democratic values.
Congress MP Pramod Tiwari insisted that Ghanshyam Tiwari should apologize in the House for his undignified language. Jaya Bachchan also demanded an apology, criticizing the Chairman’s tone and actions. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh echoed these sentiments, stating that Tiwari should apologize publicly in the House.
Earlier, on August 1, Mallikarjun Kharge had become emotional over Tiwari’s ‘parivarvaad’ (nepotism) comments and requested that these remarks be removed from the records.
Doubts Revealed
Opposition -: In India, the Opposition refers to the political parties that are not in power. They often challenge and question the decisions of the ruling party.
Rajya Sabha -: The Rajya Sabha is one of the two houses of the Parliament of India. It is also known as the Council of States and represents the states and union territories.
Chairman -: The Chairman of the Rajya Sabha is the person who presides over its meetings. The Vice President of India usually holds this position.
Jagdeep Dhankhar -: Jagdeep Dhankhar is the current Vice President of India and, therefore, the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.
BJP -: BJP stands for Bharatiya Janata Party, which is one of the major political parties in India and is currently in power.
MP -: MP stands for Member of Parliament. These are people elected to represent the public in the Parliament.
Ghanshyam Tiwari -: Ghanshyam Tiwari is a Member of Parliament from the BJP.
Leader of the Opposition -: The Leader of the Opposition is the head of the largest party not in government in the Parliament. In this case, it is Mallikarjun Kharge from the Congress party.
Congress -: The Congress party, also known as the Indian National Congress, is one of the oldest political parties in India and is currently in the Opposition.
Samajwadi Party -: The Samajwadi Party is another political party in India, mainly based in the state of Uttar Pradesh.
Jaya Bachchan -: Jaya Bachchan is a famous Indian actress and a Member of Parliament from the Samajwadi Party.
JP Nadda -: JP Nadda is the current President of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Union Minister -: A Union Minister is a member of the central government in India who is in charge of a specific department or ministry.
Shivraj Singh Chouhan -: Shivraj Singh Chouhan is a senior leader of the BJP and the current Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh.