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Wasn’t consulted before attaching V-P's staff to Committees: Jairam Ramesh
Congress MP Jairam Ramesh dismissed Dhankhar's claims that his staff was attached ‘after consultation with the respective chairpersons’ of different Committees
Congress MP Jairam Ramesh on Thursday dismissed Rajya Sabha Chairman and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar's claim that the ‘controversial move’ to attach his staff members to various standing and parliamentary committees ‘after consultation with the respective chairpersons’. Ramesh chairs the standing committee of science and technology, environment, forests and climate change.
“The Chairman of the Rajya Sabha has said that his controversial move to have his staff attached to various Committees was after consultations with the respective Chairpersons. I chair a Standing Committee and I can categorically say I wasn't consulted at all,” Ramesh said in a tweet.
Also read: Dhankar attaches staff to 20 House committees, experts call the move unusual
According to a recent order, eight officers of V-P Dhankhar have been attached to various standing committees and other parliamentary committees under the Rajya Sabha's jurisdiction.
“The following Officers have been attached with the Committees mentioned against their names with immediate effect and until further orders,” according to an internal order released on March 7.
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Dhankhar’s officers on special duty (OSDs) Rajesh N. Naik, Akhil Choudhary, Abhyuday Singh Shekhawat, Dinesh D, Kaustubh Sudhakar Bhalekar, private secretary (PS) Sujeet Kumar, additional private secretary (APS) Sanjay Verma and senior PS Aditi Chaudhary have been attached to a total of 12 committees and all eight parliamentary standing committees under the Upper House.
HT reported earlier that the new appointments would allow the officials attend any meeting of their respective committee.
