Minister’s absence draws ire of Chairman Dhankhar in Rajya Sabha

NEW DELHI: Union Minister Prahlad Singh Patel was absent from the Rajya Sabha proceedings on Monday, which invited the ire of Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar.

Patel is Union Minister of State for Food Processing Industries and Jal Shakti.

The Rajya Sabha bulletin stated, “SHRI PRAHALAD SINGH PATEL to lay on the Table, a copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following papers:

(a) Annual Report and Accounts of the National Centre for Drinking Water, Sanitation and Quality, Kolkata, for the year 2021-22, and the Audit Report thereon.

(b) Review by Government on the working of the above Centre.

(c) Statement giving reasons for the delay in laying the papers mentioned at (a) above.”

But when his name was called by the chair, he was not in the House. The chairman said that the concerned minister has to be present in the House for the proceedings.

Earlier, the chairman rejected the suspension of business notice moved by AAP MP Sanjay Singh and the opposition members resorted to sloganeering.

The representatives of 14 opposition met at the chamber of Mallikarjun Kharge, the Leader of Opposition in Parliament on Monday and decided to raise the issue.