Notice against VP to safeguard democracy, Constitution: Kharge

NEW DELHI: Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday hurled a volley of charges against vice president Jagdeep Dhankhar, accusing the Upper House chairman of behaving like a "spokesperson of the government for his next promotion" and arguing that the INDIA bloc brought a notice for his removal to safeguard democracy and the Constitution.

- Saubhadra Chatterji

Addressing a press conference of key members of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, Kharge said Dhankhar was the biggest disrupter in the Upper House. "Rajya Sabha chairpersons never indulged in politics and ran the House according to rules. But now, politics is prevailing over rules. On May 16, 1952, VP S Radhakrishnan had said, 'I don't belong to any party. Which means I am associated with every party'. But we are pained by the biased, partisan behaviour."

"We were compelled to bring a motion. In the past three years, he has often praised the government. He called himself as (part of) RSS. He sees the Opposition leaders as his adversaries. He insults both senior and junior leaders," Kharge added.