New Delhi : The logjam over BJP's demand for a discussion on alleged links between Congress and George Soros led to adjournments in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju slamming the INDIA bloc parties over their no-confidence motion against Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar.
The Lok Sabha passed the Railways (Amendment) Bill, 2024 and took up discussion on the Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2024. However, the House faced adjournments after heated arguments between Trinamool Congress member Kalyan Banerjee and Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.
In the Rajya Sabha, Leader of the House and Union Minister JP Nadda alleged that a senior Congress leader had links with US billionaire George Soros and these should be discussed in the House because it is a matter related to India's sovereignty and its security.
He alleged that INDIA bloc allegations against the Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar was a design to deviate from the issue
"In the last two days we have been raising the issue of the connection between George Soros and the senor leadership of the Congress. What is the relation between Sonia Gandhi and George Soros? This is the matter of nation's internal and external security. This also the matter of India's sovereignty. This is the question on the sovereignty of the country and the major opposition party and the relationship between George Soros should be discussed," Nadda said in the Rajya Sabha.
The Union Minister alleged that Congress is becoming tool of external forces. Its allegations and remarks against constitutional authorities should be condemned by all.
"Our members (MPs) have been raising the issue of the connection between Sonia Gandhi and Soros. This is a question about the sovereignty of the country.... Bringing a no-confidence motion against the Chair is a design to deviate the attention of the nation from the issue of the sovereignty of the country...It should be condemned by one and all. They have never respected the Chair," he said.
Earlier, Rijiju slammed Congress over the no-trust motion against Dhankar and said that if the opposition attacks the dignity of the Chairman, "we will protect".
Soon after the house met for the day, Kiren Rijiju said the son of the farmer has become Vice President and the entire country has seen he has kept the dignity of the House.
He also slammed the opposition saying, "You have no right to be members if you can't respect the Chair. We have taken an oath to protect the sovereignty of the country," he said.
Rijiju also raised the issue of alleged links between American billionaire George Soros and the Congress claiming that the Congress was standing with anti-India forces.
"You stand with forces who are against the country. Notice has been given against the Chairman. It is difficult to find such a Chairman. He has always talked of the welfare of the poor, protected Constitution. We will not allow the drama of notice to succeed. What is the relationship between Soros and Congress? This should be revealed...Congress should apologise to the nation," he said.
A day after they submitted a no-confidence motion against Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, INDIA bloc parties held a joint press conference and said they were forced to resort to the step to "safeguard the democracy and Constitution".
The leaders made allegations about the manner in which the proceedings have been conducted by the Rajya Sabha Chairman.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, who is Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, accused Dhankhar of behaving like a "spokesperson of the government for his next promotion".
He alleged that the "biggest disrupter" in Rajya Sabha is the Chairman himself.
"He (RS chairman) does schooling like a headmaster... From the opposition side, whenever important issues are raised as per rules - the chairman doesn't allow to have a discussion in a planned manner. Time and again opposition leaders are stopped from speaking. His (RS Chairman) fidelity is towards the ruling party instead of the Constitution and constitutional tradition. He is working as a spokesperson of the government for his next promotion, it is visible to us. I have no hesitation in saying that the biggest disruptor in Rajya Sabha is the Chairman himself," Kharge said.
He said it is the first time in the history of Rajya Sabha that a no-confidence motion has been brought against the Chairman, who is also the country's Vice President.
"Vice president is the second biggest constitutional post in India... Since 1952 - there has been no resolution brought to remove the Vice President as they have always been unbiased and beyond politics. They always ran the House as per the rules. But, today, there is more politics than rules in the House," he said.
Kharge said that the Chairman's behaviour in the House has damaged "the dignity of the country".
"He has brought such a situation in the history of parliamentary democracy that we had to bring this notice for the resolution (of no confidence). We have no personal enmity or political fight with him. We want to tell the countrymen that we have taken this step to safeguard the democracy, constitution and after giving a lot of thought to it," he said.
DMK MP Tiruchi Siva said the ruling party members make baseless and wild allegations and are allowed to speak and parliamentary conventions are not being respected.
"There's a blatant attack on the democracy of this country in the parliament by the ruling party and they are guarded by the Chair is a very sad thing... We have experienced in the past when the BJP was in the opposition and when Congress was also in the opposition - whenever the Opposition Leader stands up to speak or offers to speak immediately, the floor will be given to the Opposition Leader and no one will interrupt... What is going on in the country, we are not at all allowed to speak, means it is a blow to parliamentary democracy and the democracy of this country," he said.
RJD MP Manoj Jha said it is not about an individual but it's about the restoration of the core principles of the democracy. "If you have seen the proceedings of the last 2 days - the language a few people have used for whom we had respect - it not only pains but we also think that if there would be a regime change in the days to come, will we be able to repair and restore the democracy?".he asked.
Answering a query about the opposition parties not having numbers to get the motion adopted, Kharge said that numbers will come once their notice is admitted.
The INDIA bloc submitted the no-confidence motion on Tuesday to the Secretary-General of the Upper House.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said it has been signed by 60 members.
The Winter Session of Parliament has seen frequent adjournments with opposition members seeking discussion on Adani issue, Manipur situation and Sambhal violence. The treasury benches have been seeking a discussion on alleged links between Congress and George Soros.
In the Lok Sabha, heated arguments between Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and Kalyan Banerjee during discussion on Disaster Management Bill led to repeated adjournments of Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
Both of them accused each other of making personal comments.
Kalyan Banerjee expressed apology for his remarks but Jyotiraditya Scindia said that he is not accepting the apology and said his remarks were attack on women of India.
The controversial remarks were expunged by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
Minister of Stater for Home moved the Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2024 for consideration and passing in the Lok Sabha.
In his remarks, Banerjee alleged non-cooperation by the Centre government during the COVID-19 pandemic which was rebutted by Rai. Scindia stood up to support Rai.
After Kalyan Banerjee took a jibe at Scindia over his belonging to an erstwhile royal family, the BJP member said that he has risen due to his hard work and people's blessings. He also said that Trinamool Congress member can criticise BJP for its policies but any personal remark will invite a response
Kalyan Banerjee later told ANI that his remarks were not against any woman and he had apologised.
"I haven't said that for any woman but for Jyotiraditya Scindia. I have said sorry for that," he said.
Women MPs of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs lodged a complaint with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju over Banerjee's controversial remarks.
They called for Banerjee's expulsion and strict measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
Andhra Pradesh BJP chief D Purandeswari lashed out at Kalyan Banerjee over his remarks.
"The repetitive comments that Kalyan Banerjee of TMC has been making against the women in Parliament - this is not the first time that he has commented, pointing out to Jyotiraditya Scindia that he is a ladykiller. Even earlier, he had commented that there are so many beautiful women in the House, but my attention is not distracted.
"I think this is very unbecoming of a parliamentarian who hails from a state led by a woman - Mamata Banerjee leads West Bengal - and it is very unbecoming of him to pass such comments on women...He is repeatedly habituated to passing comments like this, which are very offensive to women. So, the women parliamentarians of Lok Sabha have met the Speaker, and we have met Kiren Rijiju and made our request for them to take harsh action on him so that he does not repeat it again," she added.
The BJP leader said it should also serve as an example to other parliamentarians that they should learn to respect women.
The House saw two adjournments following the clash between Kalyan Banerjee and Scindia and was later adjourned for the day.