Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar Criticizes Opposition Walkout During PM Modi’s Speech
New Delhi [India], July 3: Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar criticized the opposition for walking out during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech, calling it a dangerous precedent against democratic values.
Dhankhar said, “Their walkout today was extremely painful. It was a historic occasion. The government is in its third term with the Prime Minister heading it continually after six decades.”
He added, “They walked away from their constitutional ordainment and that has set a dangerous precedent, antithetical to democratic values.”
Dhankhar also expressed disappointment over the Leader of Opposition’s conduct, calling it a disgrace to Parliamentary conduct and propriety.
He emphasized the importance of exemplary conduct in the House, stating, “I expect Members of this House to exemplify their conduct so that this becomes a temple of deliberation, discussion, dialogue and debate.”
Dhankhar noted that disruptions not only impede the transactions of listed businesses but also erode the prestige of the institution. He found it particularly disheartening to see seasoned members behaving irresponsibly.
Despite the disruptions, Dhankhar mentioned that the Assembly lost 43 minutes due to forced adjournments, but the time was made up by continuing discussions during the lunch break and sitting beyond the scheduled time. This extended the total duration of business by three hours, resulting in over 100% productivity.
