Opposition mulls moving no-confidence resolution against Jagdeep Dhankhar as RS session ends on stormy note

On Friday, there was a fresh face-off. The Opposition benches were up in arms over BJP MP Ghanshyam Tiwari’s “objectionable” remarks about Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge on July 31. Amid the commotion, Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan told the Chairman that his “tone” was unacceptable. Dhankhar hit back, saying “Jaya ji you have earned a great reputation … You are talking about my tone? Enough of it. You may be anybody. You have to understand the decorum. You can be a celebrity but accept decorum.” An angry Opposition then walked out of the Upper House led by Sonia Gandhi.

Opposition leaders claimed that more than 80 MPs had already signed the notice but with the session ending, the parties were discussing whether to move ahead with the notice and more importantly when, if they decide to go ahead. There is no clarity yet about the technicalities of moving such a notice now that the House is not in session.

At least one senior leader told The Indian Express that “there is now no looking back on the plan”. Opposition leaders know that the INDIA parties do not have the numbers to force Dhankhar’s ouster and that the notice will be a way of making a “political statement”.

“We are discussing the technical aspects as the session has ended and the resolution can be moved only when at least 14 days’ notice has been given of the intention of moving,” said one leader. According to Article 67(b) of the Constitution, the “Vice-President may be removed from his office by a resolution of the Council of States passed by a majority of all the then members of the Council and agreed to by the House of the People; but no resolution for the purpose of this clause shall be moved unless at least fourteen days’ notice has been given of the intention to move the resolution”.

Another MP said, “There are three main issues. We want to highlight the Chair’s blatantly and consistently partisan approach. We believe the Leader of the Opposition must be allowed to intervene at any point and his microphone should not be switched off. The House should be run by Rules and conventions. And personal remarks against any member are unacceptable and the Chair must lead by example.”

Addressing a press conference soon after the face-off on Friday, Congress MPs Ajay Maken and Pramod Tiwari accused Dhankhar of being partisan. “Opposition parties feel that the Chairman’s approach is partisan. Rajya Sabha is a House that sets parameters for other legislatures. In that House, the Chairman should not be seen as partisan.

The Congress alone does not feel that way, all Opposition parties feel his behaviour is partial towards one side,” Maken said.

Tiwari said Kharge was not allowed to speak and that he is frequently interrupted and his microphones are often shut. “It is not about one party. Two to three days ago, Ghanshyam Tiwari used such words for the Leader of the Opposition that were not right and were insulting and unacceptable. We had given notice for a privilege motion. We wanted to know the ruling on it, the ruling has not come, it has to be in writing,” he said.

“It is not about Jaya Bachchan or any one MP. It is about the Opposition and our rights,” one senior Opposition leader told The Indian Express.

While there is no precedence of a no-confidence or impeachment resolution being moved against the Rajya Sabha Chairman, four years ago the Opposition submitted a no-confidence resolution against Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh. The parties that backed that resolution included the Congress, TMC, DMK, CPI(M), CPI, RJD, AAP, TRS, SP, and Kerala Congress (M). But then Chairman Venkaiah Naidu rejected the notice, saying it needed a 14-day notice and that the resolution was not in the “proper format”.