The no-confidence motion seeking the removal of Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Tuesday was the first such incident in the country's parliamentary history.
The 60 Rajya Sabha members representing the Congress-led INDIA bloc said they condemned “the partisan behaviour” of Dhankhar, which, they said, is “unbecoming of high-level constitutional authorities” who are expected to act in accordance with and in furtherance of the principles enshrined in the Constitution of India.
The motion is likely to be passed by the Rajya Sabha in the next session. Under Article 67 (b), a motion for the removal of the Vice President from office requires a fourteen-day declaration of intent on the part of the members of the Rajya Sabha supporting the resolution. The current winter session ends on December 20.
The signatories included MPs representing Congress, Trinamool Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Samajwadi Party, DMK and RJD.
“As Chairman, the manner in which Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar conducts parliamentary affairs of the Rajya Sabha is extremely partisan. It is a fact that Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar has repeatedly interrupted members of the opposition while they were speaking, and unfairly used privilege motions to silence opposition leaders, and openly delegitimized dissent with regarding the actions of the government in the most disparaging manner,” the motion reads with attached articles and videos on examples where Dhankhar was allegedly critical of opposition members or their actions.
The INDIA bloc had been planning to move the motion against Dhankhar for quite some time now. By moving it on Tuesday, the INDIA bloc wants to send a message to the RS chairman, who “as Speaker of the House of Representatives does not give his leaders a chance to speak in the House.
The report cites an incident on July 2, 2024, when Dhankhar 'branded himself as the 'Eklavya of the RSS', speaking about the history with the organization that he had started his political career with the RSS itself. “Such comments made by Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar do not reflect the impartial nature of the position he currently holds,” it said.
The notice claims that Dhankhar's conduct in Rajya Sabha on December 9, 2024, during the ongoing winter session of Parliament, was 'one-sided and totally dishonest'. “In fact, he encouraged and provoked the Treasury Department banks to make outrageous comments. However, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar has repeatedly acted in a manner that reduces the prestige of the position he currently occupies to that of a mere spokesperson for the government of the government.” We, therefore, issue this call for a motion of no confidence against the Vice President of India in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution,” it said. the communication.
As Chairman, the manner in which Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar conducts parliamentary affairs of the Rajya Sabha is extremely partisan.
No vice president has ever been impeached in India. Considering the numbers in favor of the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the motion against the RS chairman is expected to be rejected in the House of Representatives.
“We have a lot of respect for Jagdeep Dhankhar. He is a very knowledgeable person. I condemn the notice served on him and signed by sixty Members of Parliament. The NDA government has full majority and majority has confidence in the Vice President,” Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said.
