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‘Affront to nation’: V-P Dhankhar lambasts ‘Parliament’s mike put off’ claim
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar said attempts to tarnish India’s Constitution and Parliament is too serious and not acceptable
Two days after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a public interaction in the UK said that the Lok Sabha microphone couldn’t be switched on a number of times during his speech, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar lambasted the remarks without naming him and said it is an “affront to the nation” if anyone says that mikes are put off in Indian Parliament.
“How do we justify this wanton orchestration of factually untenable narrative? And mark the timing of this misadventure. India is seeing a moment of glory and there are people outside, from the country, working overtime to denigrate us. Attempts to tarnish our constitution and Parliament is too serious and not acceptable,” Dhankhar said, releasing a book on Mundaka Upanishad written by former parliamentarian Karan Singh in Delhi.
“No political strategy or partisan stance can justify compromising our nationalism and democratic values. If I observe silence on the orchestration by a member of Parliament outside the country, which is ill-premised and motivated, I will be on the wrong side of Constitution,” he added.
“How can I simplify a statement that mikes in Indian Parliament are put off? How dare anyone say so? Has there ever been an illustration? Yes, we did have a dark chapter of political history—proclamation of emergency,” the Rajya Sabha chairman said.
“Imagine, this being done after holding floor for 50 minutes!” he quipped indrectly referring to Gandhi’s long speech during the discussion on the President’s speech on February 7.
He urged young people to “expose and neutralise” the forces working against the country’s interest and added that Constitution guarantees unparalleled, “fullest freedom.”
On March 7, Gandhi, addressing some Labour Party MPs at the Grand Committee room in the Westminster complex, said, “The mikes are not out of order but you still can’t switch them on. It has happened to me a number of times while I am speaking,”
Meanwhile, the Vice President justified the attachment of eight officers in his office with 20 parliamentary committees including 8 subject-related standing committees on March 7.
“You know importance of committees. Every committee is serviced by staff. I got input from number of members and chairmen. They told me to do something to improve the panel’s productivity. I put knowledgeable people to help MPs. Some of them are IAS (Indian Administrative Service), IFS (Indian Foreign Service) officers and experts,” he said, adding that committee are for members of Parliament and he is trying to help the panels after MPs appealed to him.
