New Delhi: Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar ticked Congress MP P Chidambaram off for his "intemperate and inappropriate" choice of words against the Chair after the former Union minister questioned why Dhankhar was not giving priority to notices under Rule 267 on July 25. Opposition parties have given a slew of adjournment notices demanding a statement from the Prime Minister and a discussion under Rule 267 on the Manipur issue. Under the rule, MPs can give notice seeking suspension of listed businesses to discuss an issue of national importance.
Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar said Chidambaram raised the issue with his own experience of having got into Parliament in the mid-1980s, noting that his question "How could you do this?" was not appropriate as it insinuated aspersions on the chair. Dhankar said, "I was a little surprised and stunned when he said - 'How can you do it?'"
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"Now coming as it does from a man of experience who has held senior positions in the cabinet, I would appeal to him to look into the rationale as to why I have done it and I am sure you will find a way out of it. But such kind of extreme intemperate, inappropriate expression for the chair emanating from such a senior member of the house, surely was not wholesome," the chairman said in the House during Question Hour.
Chidambaram while replying to Dhankar, said, "My remarks should be seen in context and the entire record should be checked as it was not intended negatively." Some Opposition members, including Tiruchi Siva of DMK and Jairam Ramesh of Congress, sought to support Chidambaram, saying he has instead lauded the chairman.
Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, who had last week first taken up notices given under Rule 176 and later disposed of notices under Rule 267, had later agreed with TMC's Derek O'Brien that the Rule 267 notices have to be given precedence as acceptance of them also leads to suspension of rule 176 notices.
On Tuesday, Chidambaram said the 51 notices under Rule 267 received should have been taken up since it has now been accepted that they have precedence over those received under Rule 176. But this was objected to by the treasury benches and the chairman said a decision has already been taken to take up notices under Rule 176. Chidambaram then asked how the chairman could do such a thing, to which Dhankar objected. Dhankhar later said he has also learnt good things from the members. (PTI)
