Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday condemned the Opposition INDIA bloc’s decision to submit a notice for the removal of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, calling it “extremely regrettable.” Rijiju, who is also the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, expressed strong support for Dhankhar, praising his professionalism and impartiality as the Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha.
Speaking to the media, Rijiju criticized the Opposition for disrespecting the dignity of parliamentary chairs, both in the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha. He accused the Congress party and its allies of repeatedly disregarding the directions of the Chair, thereby undermining the authority of Parliament.“
Vice President Dhankhar comes from a humble background and has consistently spoken about the welfare of farmers and people, both inside and outside Parliament. He guides us with respect, and we hold him in high regard,” Rijiju said.
He also expressed his disapproval of the notice submitted by approximately 60 Opposition MPs, calling their move “condemnable.” Rijiju emphasized that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has the majority in the Rajya Sabha, and the BJP continues to have full faith in Dhankhar’s leadership. “We are happy with the way he guides the House,” Rijiju added.
The Opposition’s notice calls for Dhankhar’s removal, accusing him of bias and partisanship. They claimed that his actions during his tenure as Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairperson have been unfair and partisan, pointing out instances where he allegedly interrupted Opposition members, misused privilege motions to silence them, and delegitimized dissent against the government.
In their notice to the Rajya Sabha Secretary-General, the Opposition MPs accused Dhankhar of conducting parliamentary affairs in a manner that “explicitly favored” the government. They described his actions as disparaging towards the Opposition and detrimental to parliamentary democracy.
While the move to remove Dhankhar has sparked significant debate, it faces an uphill battle, as the Opposition lacks the majority required in the 243-member Rajya Sabha to pass the motion. Nonetheless, the Opposition leaders have framed the move as a “strong message” in defense of parliamentary democracy.
To date, no Vice President in India has ever been impeached.
