Rajya Sabha chairman Dhankar removes Kharge’s remarks on RSS from proceedings

New Delhi, July 1

Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday objected to certain remarks made by the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, on Rashtriya Swaysmsevak Sangh (RSS) and got the remarks expunged from the proceedings.

Kharge made the remarks while speaking on the motion to thank President Droupadi Murmu for her speech to both Houses of the Parliament.

Interrupting Kharge, Dhankar said the RSS worked for the nation and there was nothing wrong if an academic was found to be associated with RSS.

BJP president Jagat Prasad Nadda, who is also Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha, twice intervened when Kharge was making reference to the RSS in the course of his speech.

Nadda said it was clear from Kharge’s speech that he had no idea about the activities of the RSS. The BJP chief also urged the chairman to expunge Kharge’s remarks about RSS from the records.

Dhankar assured Nadda saying that the necessary direction has been given already.

Kharge also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of making communal speeches during the election campaign and making aspersions against the Congress manifesto.

Citing various reports appearing in foreign media about “hate speeches” by PM Modi while campaigning for the elections, Kharge said the prime minister’s supporters liked to describe him as “Vishwaguru”. However, the reality was that PM Modi was bringing bad name to India, he added.

Kharge, who is also President of the Congress, strongly objected to removal of statues from where they were kept in the Parliament House premises and keeping them at a new site inside the Parliament compound.

He said the statues have been removed to deprive Opppsition MPs from holding protest under the statue of Mahatma Gandhi.

Besides Gandhi’s statue, a number of other statues, including that of B R Ambedkar, have been removed, Kharge said. Ambedkar’s statue was placed at a prominent place in the Parliament House premises following a movement launched by the Dalit students, he added.