Refrain from indulging in theatrics, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar tells TMC leader Derek O'Brien

New Delhi, July 28

Rajya Sabha session on Friday was abruptly adjourned by Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar for the day after a spat with TMC leader Derek O’Brien.

Dhankhar adjourned the proceedings after he was interrupted by the TMC leader over the issue of non-admission of notices given by opposition members under Rule 267 to discuss the Manipur situation.

As many as 47 MPs from parties ranging from Congress to Left, TMC and DMK had given notices under Rule 267 that calls for suspension of the listed business and taking up the issue of violence in Manipur.

Reading out the names of members who gave the notices – all from various Opposition parties – Dhankhar said, “All the notices are with respect to expression of their concern for the prevailing situation in Manipur.”

The Chairman said that he had been facing the issue throughout the week. “In large numbers, members have invoked Rule 267 raising the same issue”, he said.

Dhankhar said a short-duration discussion notice regarding the subject was accepted by him on July 20 and the government also expressed willingness to discuss the issue under the rule.

The Chairman, thereafter, went on to say how the behaviour of MPs in the Upper House should be exemplary to the outside world.

At this point, Derek O’Brien stood up to press for the motion that opposition parties had been seeking to move since the start of the Monsoon session last week.

O’Brien, Leader of TMC in the House, thumped the desk to make his point. Dhankhar got annoyed and asked O’Brien to refrain from indulging in “theatrics”.

“Show respect to the chair,” Dhankhar said and added, “Don’t thump the desk.”

As O’Brien continued to argue, the Chairman adjourned the proceedings for the day.

The House will now meet on Monday.