Kharge writes to Dhankhar, expresses inability to meet him as he's away from Delhi

NEW DELHI: Amid the bitter war of words between the Centre and the Opposition over a viral video of suspended TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee purportedly mocking the mannerisms of Jagdeep Dhankhar, Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday wrote to the Rajya Sabha Chairman, expressing his inability to meet him as he is currently away from Delhi.

Expressing agreement with the House chairman's call to all members to rise above their differences and set aside all acrimony, Kharge wrote, "I agree with you that we need to move ahead. The answer lies in holding ours true to the Constitution, the Parliament the Parliamentary practices and innate belief in democracy vis-a-vis an authoritarian government that is bent upon subverting the Parliament I would like to state with all humility that the answer may not lie in a discussion in your chambers if the government is not keen on running the house. While I am currently out of Delhi. it would be my privilege and indeed my duty to meet at your earliest convenience as soon as I am back in Delhi. Wishing you all the best for 2024."

"The Chairman is the custodian of the house and should be at the forefront to uphold the dignity of the House, defend Parliamentary privileges, and protect people's right of holding its government accountable through the debates, discussion and reply in Parliament," the senior Congress leader added in his letter to Vice President Dhankhar.

"It would be distressing when history judges the presiding officers harshly for passing without debate and not seeking accountability from the government disappointing that the Hon'ble Chairman feels effecting suspensions facilitated legislative business by passing bills without discussion," Kharge wrote.

Earlier, on December 23, in a letter to Kharge, Dhankhar said the disruptions during the winter session of Parliament which led to the suspension of 146 MPs were 'deliberate and strategised'.

Dhankhar said the latter had to 'painfully' suffer in the Upper House the consequences of the Congress leader's decision to turn down the former's offer of interaction in his chamber.

"I wish your assertion in your December 22, 2023 communication 'we firmly believe in fostering dialogue and discussion- was reflected in actions. During the entire session, despite my repeated requests in the House and by way of written communications to secure your indulgence for interaction, the same did not fructify," Dhankhar said. Dhankhar added that the Congress vereran's refusal to meet him during the Winter session of Parliament was not in sync with parliamentary practices. "Painfully I had to suffer in the House your stance 'rejecting' my offer for interaction in Chamber. On reflection you will agree that avoidance of interaction with the Chairman and rebuff to such request on the floor of the House by the Leader of the Opposition is unwholesomely unprecedented and certainly is not in sync with the well-established parliamentary practice of which you are a veteran," Dhankhar said.

Dhankhar further wrote, "We need to move ahead", as he invited him for an interaction on December 25 "or a time of your convenience" at his official residence.

The letter by the Rajya Sabha Chairman came a day after the Congress president wrote to him, saying that the Opposition parties were prepared to engage in a meaningful discussion on the issue of security breach which "neither was admitted nor was he, as the Leader of the Opposition, or any other Member of the Opposition parties permitted to speak on the floor of the House, even for a minute or two".

"At the outset, I would like to state that as a committed opposition, we firmly believe in fostering dialogue and discussion, which are fundamental pillars of any parliamentary democracy. I would like to bring to your attention that multiple notices were submitted under the relevant rules of the Rules and Procedure of the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) to address the pressing issue of the breach of Parliament security," Kharge stated in his letter to Dhankhar earlier, on Friday.

However, Dhankhar, on Monday, said that 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".

He added that before taking the 'unpleasant step' (suspension of Opposition MPs), all efforts and initiatives were exhausted at his end to secure order in the House, including by way of brief adjournments and seeking interactions in the Chairman's Chamber.

"The disorder was deliberate and strategised. I do not seek to embarrass you by indicating the predetermined role of the main opposition party in this communication, but will share it with you when I have the benefit of interaction with you. You would recollect, I took similar recourse even when one of your members video-graphed proceedings of the House by sharing sensitive aspects of that episode with you in my Chamber," Dhankhar added.

He noted further that weaponising disruption and disturbance as a political strategy is no less than "sacrileging the temple of democracy".

Kharge, in his letter written a day before, said he hoped that Dhankhar would accommodate the Opposition's concerns and uphold the basic principle of parliamentary democracy, according to sources.

"The government will have its way, but the Opposition must have its say in letter and spirit," Kharge wrote.

On the issue of suspension of the Opposition MPs, Kharge on Friday wrote to Dhankhar saying "this... on such a large scale was detrimental to the core principles of India's parliamentary democracy".

"Witnessing the suspension of members was painful, agonising, frustrating and disheartening," Kharge wrote, adding that he was "firmly in favour of dialogue and discussion".

However, the Congress leader claimed that the Opposition's demand for a discussion on the Parliament security breach was neither entertained and nor was he nor any other member of the Opposition allowed to speak on the matter in the House.

"I would like to state that, as a committed Opposition, we firmly believe in fostering dialogue and discussion which are fundamental pillars of any parliamentary democracy," Kharge wrote to the Rajya Sabha Chairman.

Significantly, a total of 146 MPs -- 100 from Lok Sabha and 46 from Rajya Sabha -- were suspended in the Winter session for creating a ruckus and disrupting proceedings in both Houses over their demand for a statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the December 13 security breach incident.