NEW DELHI: Dismissing opposition’s no-confidence motion against Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, Union minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday said that the ruling NDA enjoys a clear majority in the Upper House and expressed confidence in Dhankhar’s leadership.
Speaking on Tuesday, Rijiju condemned the motion and defended the vice president, who serves as the Rajya Sabha chairman, describing him as a leader deeply committed to farmers and public welfare.
“The opposition disrespects the dignity of the Chair, be it in Rajya Sabha or Lok Sabha. The Congress party and its allies have consistently disregarded the Chair’s directions. Vice president Jagdeep Dhankhar ji comes from a humble background and always speaks about people’s welfare inside and outside Parliament. We respect him. I condemn the actions of the 60 MPs who signed this notice. NDA has the majority, and we all have faith in the Chairman,” said Rijiju.
Rijiu attacked Congress for alleged links to George Soros, he added, “In the time when the reports of ‘alliance’ between George Soros and Congress leadership and their combined anti-India works have come into the light – Congress and its friends are rattled. I think the Congress leadership should apologise to the country. The entire country is worried about the issue.”
The no-confidence motion was filed by 60 MPs from the INDIA bloc, including members of the Congress, Trinamool Congress, RJD, CPI, CPI-M, JMM, AAP, DMK, and the Samajwadi Party. Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh and Naseer Hussain submitted the notice to Rajya Sabha Secretary General PC Mody.
The opposition has accused Dhankhar of “partisan conduct” in his role as chairman, citing his decisions, including permitting BJP members to raise allegations linking Congress leaders to organisations backed by billionaire investor George Soros, which the BJP claims are involved in “anti-India activities.”
Despite filing the notice, the opposition bloc lacks the requisite numbers in the 243-member Rajya Sabha to pass the motion.
According to PTI sources, prominent leaders, including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, were not among the signatories.
While the motion has little chance of succeeding, opposition leaders have framed it as a symbolic effort to “fight for parliamentary democracy.”
The process of removing a Rajya Sabha Chairman involves multiple steps as outlined in Articles 67(b), 92, and 100 of the Constitution. First, a resolution must secure the support of at least 50% of members present in the Rajya Sabha on the day of the vote. If passed, the resolution would then need a simple majority in the Lok Sabha for final acceptance.
INDIA bloc leaders had reportedly deliberated on submitting a similar notice in August against Dhankhar but refrained from doing so.