Jagdeep Dhankar’s bend broke legs of Chair
Editor of The Tribune Rajesh Ramchandran wrote in an article headlined ‘Temple of democracy needs its deity back’: “If Parliament is meant only for government business and if the Opposition benches have to be cleared out for laws to be made amid the thumping of the treasury desks, what good is our democracy? “
By Manish Anand
New Delhi, December 23: AIADMK MP M. Thambidurai was the lone member of the Rajya Sabha who accompanied the leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party to call on Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar for customery meeting after the Winter session of parliament was adjourned sine die. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, in contrast, had only members from the ruling party led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the post-session customary meeting.
The evident politicization of the offices of the presiding officers is now facing major backlash among the intelligentsia, as well as the chattering class on the social media platforms. The trend started by Dhankar to whip the Opposition for flouting discipline cheered the ruling BJP to beat the rivals out of parliament. As many as 146 MPs in both the Houses of parliament were suspended in the last few days of the Winter session when the government rushed with three sets of bills to amend criminal laws, appointments of the members of the Election Commission, and regulation of the media.
Dhankar posted on social media platform X: “Weaponizing disruptions and disturbance as a political strategy doesn’t resonate with our constitutional obligation of keeping the interest of people at large above any other political considerations.” In the age of social media, videos of Arun Jaitely and Sushma Swaraj stating that “disrupting proceedings of parliament is a legitimate tool of democracy” has resurfaced on timelines of Dhankar and Birla.
This message majory invited rebukes from the social media users who served him expletives such as being “spineless”. One user Amit Ghirra replied to Dhankar, saying “demeaning the post of VP (Vice President) by your shrill conduct is a bigger worry for democracy)”.
Editor of The Tribune Rajesh Ramachandran wrote in an article headlined ‘Temple of democracy needs its deity back’: “If Parliament is meant only for government business and if the Opposition benches have to be cleared out for laws to be made amid the thumping of the treasury desks, what good is our democracy? How can the foreign press and foreign-funded commentators be blamed if they start calling this ‘Made in India Parliament 2.0’ a sham?”
Dhankar played the victim card for his mimickry by Trinamool Congress’ Lok Sabha MP Kalyan Banerjee. He took shelter behind identity politics when facing redicule from the Opposition, claiming that he’s a son of a farmer. This is as if farmers in the country have any god ordained right to stay above criticism.
Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjuna Kharge didn’t oblige Dhankar when he sought a meeting. Now, Dhankar wrote letters to Kharge and Nationalist Congress Party supremo Sharad Pawar wherein he was seen giving lessons in parliamentary proceedings to the two Oppsoition leaders.
While the Opposition may be faulted for digging political opportunities in the breach of security of parliament, the presiding officers of the two houses are inviting censures for not holding the government accountable by at least making the concerned minister give statements in the two houses. The parliamentary convention that when parliament is in session, no member of the government makes statements outside is already resting in its grave after cameras hijacked democratic discourse.
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