Kiren Rijiju Criticizes Opposition’s Move to Remove Vice President Dhankhar
New Delhi, 11th December 2024: On Tuesday, Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kiren Rijiju criticized the Opposition INDIA bloc for submitting a notice seeking the removal of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, calling the move “extremely regrettable.”
Addressing the media, Rijiju, who also serves as the parliamentary affairs minister, praised Dhankhar, the Rajya Sabha chairperson, for his professionalism and impartiality in handling parliamentary proceedings.
Rijiju also condemned the Opposition for disrespecting the dignity of the Chair in both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha. “The Opposition continually disrespects the Chair’s authority. The Congress party and its allies have repeatedly failed to follow the Chair’s directives. Vice President Dhankhar comes from a humble background and is dedicated to the welfare of farmers and the people. He provides guidance, and we hold him in high regard,” Rijiju stated.
He further condemned the action of the 60 Opposition MPs who submitted the notice, emphasizing that the NDA holds a majority and has full faith in Dhankhar’s leadership. “We are satisfied with how he leads the House,” Rijiju added.
Around 60 Opposition MPs filed the notice on Tuesday, seeking Dhankhar’s removal, accusing him of being explicitly partisan and unfair towards Opposition members during his brief tenure. According to the MPs, Dhankhar has repeatedly interrupted Opposition members, used privilege motions to silence them, and disparaged dissent regarding government actions.
The notice was submitted to Rajya Sabha Secretary General PC Mody, and if the motion is moved, the Opposition would need a simple majority to succeed. However, they currently lack the numbers in the 243-member House.
Despite this, Opposition members have argued that their move sends a strong message in defence of parliamentary democracy, although no Vice President has ever been impeached in India.
