The letter war between Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar continued on Monday with the former postponing the Vice President’s meeting invite to discuss a range of matters in his chamber today.
Over the past week, both Kharge and Dhankhar have exchanged a series of letters over concerns related to the mass suspension of MPs, disruption in Parliament and the passage of Bills during the Winter session of Parliament, among other issues.
On Saturday, VP Dhankhar invited Kharge, who is the leader of the Opposition in Rajya House, to his residence on Christmas to discuss on range of matters, saying despite his repeated requests, such a meeting could not happen during the Winter session.
To this, Kharge replied that he was currently out of Delhi and proposed a fresh meeting after he returned to the national capital.
“While I am currently out of Delhi, it would be my privilege and indeed my duty to meet you at your earliest convenience as soon as I am back in Delhi,” he wrote.
Dhankhar’s Invite
Earlier, in his invitation to Kharge, the vice president said the disorder in the House was deliberate and part of a strategy.
“I do not seek to embarrass you by indicating the predetermined role of the main opposition party in this communication, but will share with you when I have the benefit of interaction with you,” he said, adding that both the Opposition and the ruling party “need to move ahead”.
Responding to Kharge’s December 22 letter, the Rajya Sabha chairperson said he wished that the Congress leader’s assertion that “we firmly believe in fostering dialogue and discussion” was reflected in actions in the House.
Dhankhar said the premise of suspensions, contrary to Kharge’s stance, was deliberate disorder in the House by way of sloganeering, raising placards, entering the well of the House and gesticulating towards the Chair.
“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,” he said.
Kharge’s ‘Agony’
Kharge had on Friday told Dhankhar that the suspension of MPs on such a large scale was detrimental to the core principles of India’s parliamentary democracy.
In his letter to Dhankhar, Kharge had said he was pained and agonised at the suspension of so many MPs and felt frustrated and disheartened.
The Congress president was responding to an earlier letter by Dhankhar in which he had said rendering the House dysfunctional by making a demand to the Chair that cannot be acceded was unfortunate and against public interest.
The Rajya Sabha was adjourned sine die on Thursday, a day ahead of the scheduled end of Parliament’s Winter session. During the Winter session, 46 MPs were suspended from the Rajya Sabha for unruly behaviour and misconduct. The Winter session began on December 4 and was scheduled to conclude on December 22.
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