A day after Congress president and Rajya Sabha Leader of opposition Mallikarjun Kharge wrote a letter to Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on MPs’ suspensions, the latter replied him requesting to spare time for interaction on 25 December at 4 pm at Up Rashtrpati Niwas in Delhi.
Earlier in his letter on 22 December, Kharge reiterated his commitment to open discussion and dialogue. He had written, “I am more than willing to engage in a meeting with you at a mutually convenient date and time in the near future to address these concerns constructively…”
In reply, Dhankar wrote, “We need to move ahead and towards this I shall be grateful if you spare time for interaction on December 25, at 4 PM or a time of your convenience at Up Rashtrapati Niwas.”
The whole exchange of letters began after 45 Rajya Sabha Opposition MPs and 33 Lok Sabha Opposition MPs were suspended from the Winter Session of the parliament, for disrupting the session.
Stating that the disorder by Opposition MPs was deliberate and strategized, Dhankar stressed that as members of Parliament ‘, we need to exemplify out conduct worth emulating by others’.
He wrote that, “Weaponising disruption and disturbance as a political strategy is no less than sacrileging in the temple of democracy. As members of the Council of States, the Upper House, the House of Elders we need to exemplify our conduct worth emulating by others.”
In his letter, Dhankar mentioned, “The premise of suspensions, contrary to your stance, was deliberate disorder in the House by way of sloganeerings, raising placards, entering the well of the House and gestiluting towards the Chair.”
He added, “Before taking the unpleasant step, all efforts and initiatives were exhausted at my end to secure order in the House, including by way of brief adjournments and seeking interactions in my Chamber.”
Meanwhile, the Congress chief in his letter had earlier said that the suspension of members on such a large scale is detrimental to the core principles of parliamentary democracy. “Witnessing the suspension of Members was painful, agonizing, frustrating and disheartening.”
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Published: 23 Dec 2023, 10:48 PM IST