News Brief
'Made A Mockery Of The Constitution': Rajya Sabha Chairman Dhankhar Slams Opposition For Walking Out During PM Modi's Speech
Kuldeep Negi
Jul 03, 2024, 03:00 PM | Updated 03:00 PM IST
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
![Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar](https://swarajya.gumlet.io/swarajya/2024-07/a7dcf904-15ba-40ab-801c-08bb9d0c347a/Screenshot_2024_07_03_at_2_55_07_PM.png?w=640&q=75&auto=format,compress&format=webp)
Rajya Sabha Chairperson Jagdeep Dhankhar on Wednesday (3 July) slammed opposition MPs who staged a walkout during PM Modi's speech in the Upper House of the Parliament.
He condemned their walkout during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech, deeming it a "dangerous precedent."
The incident occurred after Dhankhar initially denied Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, the Leader of the Opposition, the opportunity to intervene during PM Modi's address.
This led to loud chants of "LoP ko bolne do" ("let the LoP speak") and pleas from Kharge requesting permission.
As the opposition MPs walked out, Dhankhar accused them of "disrespecting" and "challenging" the Constitution, stating they had "disregarded (and) insulted the oath they took."
"Kharge ji insulted his oath by walking out. They (the opposition) have made a mockery of the Constitution. I hope they introspect," Dhankhar said, NDTV reported.
Dhankhar also insisted that he had provided Kharge ample time to respond to the Prime Minister.
"I urged them... told them LoP was given adequate time to speak without interruption. (But they didn't listen). Today they did not leave the House... they left their dignity. Today they did not show me their back... they showed it to the Constitution. They insulted the oath they took. I am pained by this," he remarked.
"They challenged the Constitution. I am hurt to see such disrespect. They made a joke of the Constitution. The Constitution is not a book to hold in your hand. It is a book to live by. I hope they will remember their duty..." he declared.
"Disruption erodes prestige of this esteemed institution. Even LoP walked into the Well... and that was a disgrace. Their walk out was extremely painful. It has set a dangerous precedent," he said.
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
Kuldeep is Senior Editor (Newsroom) at Swarajya. He tweets at @kaydnegi.
Support Swarajya's 50 Ground Reports Project & Sponsor A Story
Every general election Swarajya does a 50 ground reports project.
Aimed only at serious readers and those who appreciate the nuances of political undercurrents, the project provides a sense of India's electoral landscape. As you know, these reports are produced after considerable investment of travel, time and effort on the ground.
This time too we've kicked off the project in style and have covered over 30 constituencies already. If you're someone who appreciates such work and have enjoyed our coverage please consider sponsoring a ground report for just Rs 2999 to Rs 19,999 - it goes a long way in helping us produce more quality reportage.
You can also back this project by becoming a subscriber for as little as Rs 999 - so do click on this links and choose a plan that suits you and back us.
Click below to contribute.