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Days after MPs clashed outside parliament over Amit Shah's alleged 'insulting' remarks against BR Ambedkar, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar today stressed that parliamentarians should be held accountable, adding people have learnt to take "disorder as order".
The Vice President, who said he had not seen such scenes before, underscored that for any democracy to succeed, expression and dialogue must go hand in hand with great responsibility on both sides.
"It is time for every thinking Indian to reflect deeply and hold those with obligations accountable-especially parliamentarians. In the last quarter of the century of our independence and adoption of the Indian Constitution, the kind of spectacle I witnessed should be a cause of concern. Yet, there seems to be no concern. People have learned to take disorder as order. There is no sense of revulsion," said Mr Dhankhar, who is also the Rajya Sabha Chairman, addressing awardees of the Chaudhary Charan Singh Awards 2024 in Delhi.
It is time for every thinking Indian to reflect deeply and hold those with obligations accountable—especially parliamentarians.
In the last quarter of the century of our independence and adoption of the Indian Constitution, the kind of spectacle I witnessed should be a cause of… pic.twitter.com/asoAJ7HMSV
— Vice-President of India (@VPIndia) December 22, 2024
Both the Congress and the BJP have alleged that members from the opposite side attacked and pushed their MPs when legislators from the Opposition party were entering Parliament House on Thursday morning. While the Congress was protesting against Mr Shah's "taking Ambedkar's name has become a fashion" remark, the BJP organised a counter-protest spotlighting the alleged historical injustice meted out to the Constitution maker by the grand old party.
During the clash in the parliament premises, two BJP MPs - Pratap Sarangi and Mukesh Rajput - suffered injuries on their heads and continue to be in hospital.
Both parties have alleged that their party members had been pushed around. An FIR has been registered against Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi by Delhi police regarding the incident.
During the Winter Session, at least 60 opposition members signed the notice for the removal of Jagdeep Dhankhar from his post on December 10, alleging they did not have trust in him and that he was "biased".
The notice was moved by the opposition members under Article 67(b) of the Constitution as intention of a no-confidence motion against the vice-president of India.
Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh dismissed the impeachment notice seeking removal of Vice-President Dhankhar while ruling it as an act of impropriety, being severely flawed and drawn in haste to mar his reputation.
On Friday, Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said the Opposition parties could again submit a notice to move a motion of no-confidence against Jagdeep Dhankhar in the Budget Session, asserting the notice that was rejected was "only a trailer".