Jagdeep Dhankhar, the President of the Rajya Sabha, expressed deep distress on Saturday during discussions in the House when Congress members, during Jayant Chaudhary address on the conferment of Bharat Ratna to his grandfather Chaudhary Charan Singh, engaged in what he termed as ‘disrespectful’ behavior. Dhankhar, visibly upset, revealed that as a ‘son of a farmer,’ he contemplated resigning from his position due to the ‘disgraceful’ conduct of some Congress members. He also strongly criticized the behavior of opposition leader Mallikarjun Kharge and questioned the suitability of Congress members for staying in the Rajya Sabha.
Dhankhar pointed out that the issue of honoring Chaudhary Charan Singh’s grandson, Jayant Chaudhary, was a matter of celebration for the entire nation. However, the atmosphere in the House turned contentious, leading to heated exchanges between the opposition and ruling parties. The President emphasized that the Rajya Sabha is a symbol of the entire country, and any behavior within it is carefully observed and studied. Dhankhar expressed his personal anguish over the incident, stating, “Today was an extremely painful day for me.”
He criticized the conduct of some members, stating that it was unexpected, disrespectful, hurtful, and contrary to dignity. Dhankhar even admitted that as a farmer’s son, the thought of immediately resigning from his position crossed his mind. Referring to Chaudhary Charan Singh’s grandson, he remarked, “I accept that every member of the House takes pride in conferring Bharat Ratna on this great son of India.”
Dhankhar clarified that Jayant Chaudhary was allowed to speak based on his written request because former prime ministers are not limited to a particular family. He further stated, “When this issue arose, and the behavior I witnessed was unexpected, disrespectful, painful, and contrary to dignity, some people’s behavior was so small that I felt embarrassed. Many thoughts came to my mind, and as a farmer’s son, I immediately considered resigning from my position.”
He also addressed the comments made during the commotion, pointing out that even though Congress leader Jairam Ramesh made remarks at the time, they were not heard due to the chaos. Dhankhar criticized Ramesh’s behavior, stating that such actions cannot be overlooked, and he expressed the pain he felt during the incident.
Dhankhar urged members to maintain sensitivity, especially when it comes to the honor of individuals, emphasizing that political debates can be robust, but everyone should be highly considerate in matters of dignity. He regretted the turn of events and said, “This incident will not be limited to the House; it will reach millions of people. This should not have happened. I am saying this with great restraint and with a hurt heart, keeping the dignity of the House in mind.”
