New Delhi:
A no-confidence motion against Rajya Sabha Chairperson Jagdeep Dhankhar – alleging partisan functioning of the House – appears increasingly likely after Congress leader Ranjeet Ranjan told NDTV Tuesday the party has the support of more than enough MPs to demand a debate.
Ahead of that expected motion, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Mr Dhankhar met this morning.
Sources had earlier told NDTV that several members of the Congress-led INDIA opposition bloc – including Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool and Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party, which do not otherwise agree with the Congress’ game-plan for this Parliament session – are also expected to sign the motion.
“50 signatures are required (for the motion to be tabled) but we have got 70. We are confident that we can bring this no-confidence motion against the Rajya Sabha chair,” Ms Ranjan said.
The Congress, she said, will also be backed by other opposition parties. “Everyone has come together… what happened inside the House was unfortunate and unprecedented.”
Calls for a vote against Mr Dhankhar erupted Monday after chaos in the Upper House; this was after the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party attacked senior Congress leaders – Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi – over alleged links to businessman George Soros and a media organisation partly funded by his foundation.
READ | INDIA Bloc May Back Congress No-Confidence Against Jagdeep Dhankhar
The attack – claiming links between Mrs Gandhi and the Democratic Leaders in Asia Pacific Foundation, which has expressed views on an independent Kashmir – was led in the Rajya Sabha by JP Nadda, who said the link “maligns India and raises national security concerns. Therefore, we want a discussion.”
READ | BJP’s Nadda vs Congress’ Kharge Over Soros-Sonia Gandhi Link Claims
Mr Nadda’s tirade was rebutted by Mallikarjun Kharge, his Congress counterpart, but that response was cut short by shouting between MPs that led to multiple adjournments.
The Rajya Sabha Chair’s handling of this face-off was what triggered the Congress’ call for the motion against him; Mr Kharge managed to point out Mr Dhankhar was allowing comments against Mrs Gandhi despite rejecting 11 notices by BJP MPs to discuss this issue.
“What the Leader of the House (referring to Mr Nadda) said is a lie. It is (also) wrong to damage the image of a member who is not present,” he said.
And last week the BJP also targeted Rahul Gandhi, calling him a “traitor” and naming him, Mr Soros and “some American agencies” as part of a “triangle trying to destabilise India”.
READ | BJP Targets Rahul Gandhi Alleging Soros Link, Congress Cries Foul
The concerted attacks by the BJP come as the opposition tries to raise issues like the violence in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal over the survey of a mosque and the United States indictment against the Directors of Adani Green Energy – a renewable energy company owned by the Adani Group.
It also follows the publication of a report by French media company Mediapart that claimed “hidden links between the OCCRP (Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project) and the US government”.
The BJP has alleged the Soros-founded OCCRP publishes news reports “targeting” India, and that these are then used by the Congress to criticise the ruling party and government, and Indian business interests.
The Congress has just as firmly refuted the claim. “We are patriots…” the party thundered in response.
Meanwhile, the US government has reacted strongly to the BJP’s claims of links between itself – after it emerged it too funds the OCCRP – and attacks on India.
“It is disappointing that the ruling party in India would make these kinds of accusations… the US government works with independent organisations on programming that supports professional development and capacity-building for journalists. This does not influence editorial decisions…” it said.
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