The Aryavarth Express
New Delhi, December 1: Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, on Monday welcomed Vice President CP Radhakrishnan as the new Chairman of the Upper House, urging him to uphold impartiality in the conduct of parliamentary proceedings.
Invoking India’s first Vice President Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, Kharge said he hoped the new Chairman would follow the same principles of fairness. Quoting Dr. Radhakrishnan’s famous words—“I belong to no party; that means I belong to every party in this House”—Kharge remarked that he was citing this because “some people say you belong to their party,” taking a veiled dig at the BJP.
Kharge also highlighted CP Radhakrishnan’s family link to the Congress, noting that his uncle CK Kuppuswamy had served three terms as a Congress MP in the Lok Sabha. He assured the Opposition’s cooperation in maintaining parliamentary decorum and ensuring equal opportunity for all members.
The Congress president also referred to former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar’s abrupt resignation, calling it “unprecedented” and expressing disappointment that the House did not get a chance to bid him farewell. His comments prompted objections from treasury bench members. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju responded sharply, accusing Congress leaders of having previously used inappropriate language against Dhankhar and reminding them that a removal motion against him was still pending.
CP Radhakrishnan recently assumed office as the 15th Vice President of India following Dhankhar’s resignation on the first day of the Monsoon Session due to health concerns. A veteran BJP leader, Radhakrishnan has previously served as Governor of Maharashtra and Jharkhand, and held additional charges as Governor of Telangana and Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry. He has also been elected twice to the Lok Sabha from Coimbatore and served as the Tamil Nadu BJP president.
The Winter Session of Parliament commenced on Monday. While the Rajya Sabha formally welcomed its new Chairman, the Lok Sabha was adjourned until 2 pm amid Opposition protests over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists.
