Derek O'Brien irks Rajya Sabha Chairman Dhankhar; challenges the Chair

New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned for almost an hour on Monday following heated exchanges between Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar and TMC's Derek O'Brien over the chair not mentioning the party affiliations of opposition members seeking a discussion on the Manipur issue.

Dhankhar read out the names of the MPs and the political parties they are affiliated with while detailing the 11 notices received under rule 176, mostly from treasury benches, seeking short-duration discussions over violence in states ranging from Rajasthan to Manipur.

But when he started to read out the notices received under rule 267 from MPs of opposition parties who sought to set aside the business of the day to take up the Manipur issue, he did not mention the party affiliations.

O'Brien asked the chairman to also mention the parties of the MPs who had given notices under rule 267, just like he did for MPs giving notices under rule 176.

Dhankhar asked O'Brien to take his seat but the TMC leader was not in a relenting mood.

"You are challenging the Chair," Dhankhar remarked before adjourning the proceedings till 1200 hours.

Earlier, soon after the listed papers were laid on the table, Dhankhar said he has received 11 notices under rule 176 and began reading out names and the subjects.

"Shri Sudhanshu Trivedi, BJP - concern over violence during panchayat elections in the state of West Bengal. Shri Sushil Kumar Modi, concern over use of brutal police force against peaceful protestors in Patna, Bihar. Shri Laxmikant Bajpai, BJP - concern over atrocities against women in the state of Telangana.

"Shri G V L Narasimha Rao, BJP - concern over protest by youth belonging to SC, ST communities in the state of Chattisgarh to challenge the fake caste certificates. Shri Harnath Singh Yadav, BJP - concern over atrocities against women in state of Chattisgarh," he said.

Yadav had also given a notice over atrocities against women in West Bengal while Bajpai had two other notices seeking a discussion on atrocities against women in Kerala and Jharkhand.

Ghanshyam Tiwari of the BJP wanted a discussion on crime against women in Rajasthan. V Sivadasan of CPM sought a discussion on ethnic violence in Manipur, Dhankhar said.

"In respect of the last notice (of Sivadasan), you would recall (that) on July 20, 2023, I had already given a ruling that the notices for short duration discussion received regarding the violence in Manipur are admitted and the Leader of the House (and Union Minister) Piyush Goyal had agreed for a discussion on this issue," he said.

The other notices under rule 176 were under his consideration, the Chairman said.

Thereafter, he started reading out notices received under rule 267.

"I have received 27 notices under rule 267. Shri Mallikarjun Kharge, Shri John Brittas, Shri AD Singh..," Dhankhar said.

At this point, O'Brien asked, "Sir which party?" With folded hands, he pleaded that the chair had read the party affiliations of BJP MPs and that the same courtesy should be extended to others who had given notices.

Dhankhar asked him to take his seat before the angry exchange erupted, leading to the adjournment of the proceedings.

"Mr Derek O'Brien, Mr Derek O'Brien, take your seat," he ordered.

The TMC leader responded, "No." He got support from fellow MPs.

"You are challenging the Chair, you are challenging the Chair... no, no," Dhankhar said before adjourning the proceedings till 12 noon.