INDIA bloc’s motion to remove Jagdeep Dhankhar: ’Silenced opposition, delegitimized dissent’ | Details | Mint

The no-confidence motion seeking removal of Rajya Sabha Chairperson 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 conduct’ of Dhankhar, which, they said, is ‘unbecoming of High-Level Constitutional Authorities’ expected to act in accordance with and in furtherance of the principles enshrined in the Constitution of India.

The motion will likely be taken up in the next session by the Rajya Sabha. According to Article 67 (b), a motion for the removal of the Vice President from his office requires a 14-day notice of intent on the part of members of the Rajya Sabha who support the resolution. The ongoing winter session is scheduled to end on December 20.

The signatories included members of parliament representing the Congress, the Trinamool Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party(AAP), the Samajwadi Party, the DMK and the RJD.

“As Chairperson, the manner in which Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar conducts parliamentary affairs of the Rajya Sabha is extremely partisan. It is a matter of record that Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar has repeatedly interrupted members of the opposition while they are speaking, unfairly used privilege motions to silence leaders of the opposition, and openly delegitimised dissent with respect to the actions of the Government in the utmost disparaging manner,” reads the motion with attached articles and videos covering instances where Dhankhar has allegedly been 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 against the RS chairperson who, “as the presiding officer of the House, doesn’t give its leaders an opportunity to speak in the House.

The notice has cited an incident on July 2, 2024, when Dhankhar ‘labeled 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 remarks by Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar are unbecoming of the non-partisan nature of the position he currently occupies,” it says.

The notice alleges that Dhankhar’s conduct in Rajya Sabha on December 9, 2024, during the ongoing winter session of Parliament was ‘one-sided and totally unfair.’ “He was, in fact, encouraging and provoking the Treasury Benches to make outrageous remarks. However, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar has repeatedly acted in a manner that reduces the prestige of the position he presently occupies to that of a mere spokesman for the government of the day. Therefore, we are issuing the present notice to bring a no-confidence motion against the Vice President of India in accordance with the provisions provided in the Constitution,” reads the notice.

As Chairperson, 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 favour of the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the motion against the RS chairperson is expected to be defeated in the House.

“We have a lot of respect for Jagdeep Dhankhar. He is a very knowledgeable person. The notice that has been served against him, which has been signed by 60 MPs, I condemn it. The NDA government has full majority and the majority has trust in the Vice President,” said Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju.