Rajya Sabha on Wednesday welcomed its new Chairman, Jagdeep Dhankhar, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi taking the lead in expressing confidence that the Upper House under his leadership would “scale new heights” with serious debates and democratic discussions. Opposition members urged him to give more time for discussions, ensure that the Opposition’s voice is heard in the House, allocate more time for smaller parties and see to it that legislations are not passed in a hurry and are sent to parliamentary panels for scrutiny. Welcoming Dhankhar, Modi said the Vice President comes from a normal family and that his journey is an inspiration for many people of the country. Modi also called him Kithane ki laal (Kithana is the birthplace of Dhankhar). “Taking the lead is the real definition of leadership. This becomes more important in the context of the Rajya Sabha, because this House has the responsibility of furthering the democratic decisions in a more refined manner. Therefore, when this House gets a down to earth leader like you, I consider it a privilege for every member of the House,” he said. Modi said Dhankhar has become the Chairman at a time when India has assumed the presidency of G20 and has entered a period of Amrit Kaal — a term he first used in his Independence Day speech in 2021 when he said that India would transform itself to newer heights in the next 25 years. Arguing that the Rajya Sabha has been a carrier of the great democratic heritage of the country, he said a “huge responsibility rests upon all of us to maintain and enhance the dignity of this House” and added that he was sure that under Dhankhar’s guidance, the “House will take forward its legacy and dignity and will scale new heights.” Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge promised the new Chairman all cooperation from the Opposition for smooth functioning of the House, but said he expects Dhankhar to allow more discussions and not let Bills pass in a hurry. He said courts have made strong observations regarding some of the Bills passed by Parliament.
