Chair acting in 'partisan' manner against entire opposition: Congress

New Delhi: The turbulent relations between Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar and INDIA bloc parties came to a head on Friday with the Congress accusing the Chair of acting in a "partisan" manner against the entire opposition.

Soon after opposition walked out of the Rajya Sabha protesting against what they termed as "unacceptable" tone and disrespect shown by Dhankhar, the Congress held a press conference to claim that the Chair was not giving the opposition the importance it deserves in the Upper House.

"Opposition parties feel that the Chairman's approach is partisan. The Rajya Sabha is a House that sets parameters for other legislatures. In that House, the Chairman should not be seen partisan. The Congress alone does not feel that way, all opposition parties feel his behaviour is partial towards one side," Congress leader Ajay Maken said at a press conference.

The opposition is not getting the importance it deserves in the Upper House, he said.

"If the opposition's voice does not resonate in Rajya Sabha, where else will it resonate," he asked.

Congress' deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha Pramod Tiwari claimed that Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge is not allowed to speak, he is frequently interrupted and his microphones are often shut.

"It is not about one party. Two-three days ago Ghanshyam Tiwari used such words for the Leader of Opposition which were not right and were insulting and unacceptable. We had given notice for privilege motion. We wanted to know the ruling on it, the ruling has not come, it has to be in writing," he said.

Earlier, the opposition walked out of the House, with Congress parliamentary party Sonia Gandhi and other senior leaders in tow.

The walkout came after Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan and Vice President Dhankhar were engaged in a heated exchange in the Upper House.

"Main kalakar hoon, body language samajhti hoon, expression samajhti hoon... par sir, mujhe maaf kariyega magar apka tone jo hai is not acceptable. We are colleagues sir, you may be sitting on the chair," she said.

Dhankhar hit back, saying, "Jaya ji, you've earned a great reputation. You know, an actor is subject to director. You've not seen what I see from here. I don't want schooling. I am a person who has gone out of the way, and you say my tone...,enough of it." After the walkout, Bachchan told reporters that she objected to the tone used by the Chair.

"We are not school children. I was upset with the tone and especially when the LoP stood up to speak, his mic was switched off. How can you do this? If he is not going to be heard in the House, then what are we doing? On top of that, every time (they are) using words which are unparliamentary," she said.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh told reporters that Ghanshyam Tiwari had insulted the Leader of Opposition in the House in front of everybody.

"Today it was said that Ghanshyam Tiwari came and in a closed door meeting praised Kharge ji. So what he said privately, we demanded that he should say it in the House. He insulted Kharge ji, he should say that what I said was wrong and I respect him and by mistake I said what I said," Ramesh said.

"He (Chairman) keeps interrupting me, I have no objection to that but LoP is not allowed to speak. LoP has been insulted. The dignity of a constitutional post has been lowered. We are against this. Jaya Bachchan had gotten up for this issue only that the Leader of Opposition is being repeatedly insulted and not being allowed to speak," he said.

"Issue was that Tiwari made serious allegations against Kharge which we wanted wanted should be erased from records," he said.

Addressing the Rajya Sabha, Bachchan, a Samajwadi Party MP, expressed her disapproval of Dhankhar's tone in the House which led to an exchange of words between the two. The opposition finally walked out with Sonia Gandhi and other senior leaders.