Oppn mulls ‘no-confidence’ motion against RS Chairman

New Delhi: The Opposition INDIA bloc is said to be mulling over moving a ‘Motion of No Confidence’ against Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar.

The move against Vice President Dhankhar, who is the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, comes amid the ongoing winter session. The Opposition has alleged Chairman Dhankhar’s bias in the functioning of the Upper House. Opposition MPs have accused him of frequent interruptions in their speeches, inadequate opportunities for debate and discussion, and favouritism towards the treasury benches.

This extraordinary step comes amid rising tensions and accusations involving George Soros and national security concerns, which have overshadowed internal disputes within the House. The Congress, supported by key allies like the TMC and Samajwadi Party, is spearheading this effort, citing inappropriate conduct by Dhankhar, sources in the Opposition indicated on Monday.

Recent tensions were further inflamed by Union Minister and BJP national president J P Nadda, who highlighted connections between the Forum of Democratic Leaders in the Asia-Pacific and controversial figure George Soros. Allegations of national security risks and attempts to sideline pertinent issues like the Adani controversy have surfaced in the House. Critical voices, including Digvijaya Singh, argue that the chairman’s partiality has sparked constitutional debates over the vice president’s potential removal, as per Article 67(b).

According to Article 67(b), a Vice President may be removed from office by a resolution of the Council of States passed by a majority of all the then members of the Council and agreed to by the House of the People. However, no resolution for this purpose shall be moved unless at least fourteen days’ notice has been given of the intention to move the resolution. A letter signed by all non-NDA parties supporting the impeachment resolution will be submitted to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat on Tuesday. After 14 days of the submission, the resolution will be moved.

The Opposition parties have further alleged that the Chairman of Rajya Sabha sounds like a BJP spokesperson. Bringing a no-confidence motion against the Vice President requires meticulous planning, majority support, and adherence to specific rules. This move comes as some Opposition parties have expressed dissatisfaction with how the upper house of Parliament is being managed by the Vice President. The Opposition has alleged that Rajya Sabha Chairman Dhankhar has shown preferential treatment to the treasury benches, sidelining their demands. However, consensus within the Opposition on this action is yet to be reached.

The resolution must be passed by a majority of the total members of the Rajya Sabha and must then be agreed to by a simple majority in the Lok Sabha for the motion to succeed. Reportedly, not all members of the Opposition bloc have agreed to the motion, which could weaken the effort. Securing a majority in both houses of Parliament is crucial, making the success of such a motion challenging unless there is significant cross-party support. A no-confidence motion could further polarise the functioning of Parliament, impacting legislative proceedings.

Meanwhile, both Houses of Parliament witnessed chaotic scenes on Monday, with proceedings repeatedly disrupted as fiery debates erupted over allegations linking Congress leaders to billionaire investor George Soros and continued Opposition demands for a discussion on the Adani issue. The disruption ultimately led to adjournments in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha for the entire day.

In the Lok Sabha, protests began as soon as the House convened at 11 am, with Opposition members raising slogans and demanding discussions on key issues. Speaker Om Birla urged members to maintain decorum and allow Question Hour to proceed, but repeated disruptions led to adjournments, first till 12 noon, then 2 pm, and finally for the day. The protests intensified after Congress members submitted privilege motion notices against BJP MP Nishikant Dubey for alleging that Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, were linked to George Soros-backed organisations allegedly involved in anti-India activities. Members of the Congress, Samajwadi Party, Trinamool Congress (TMC), and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) stood united in their protests. Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi was present during the demonstrations, while TMC MPs, including Mahua Moitra, joined the Opposition chorus.

Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha proceedings followed a similar trajectory of discord. Treasury bench members accused Congress leaders of colluding with Soros to destabilise India, which prompted vociferous protests from Opposition MPs, who called it a diversionary tactic to avoid discussing allegations against the Adani Group.

Nadda alleged that the Forum of Democratic Leaders in the Asia-Pacific (FDL-AP), co-chaired by a Congress leader, was linked to Soros and questioned its stance on Jammu and Kashmir. Congress leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge and Jairam Ramesh, countered the accusations, accusing the BJP of misleading the House. “This is a calculated move to protect Adani and malign the Opposition,” CPI(M) MP John Brittas said.

Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar attempted to mediate by holding discussions with leaders from both sides, but his appeals for calm went unheeded. By the afternoon, repeated adjournments culminated in the session being called off.