Standoff between Opposition and Government Forces Rajya Sabha Chairman to Exit BAC Meeting

Synopsis

On March 28, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar exited a BAC meeting, citing a lack of decorum. Opposition members argued that the walkout stemmed from significant disagreements with the ruling party regarding key issues like duplicate voter IDs and parliamentary scrutiny.

Key Takeaways

Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar walked out of a BAC meeting.
Opposition claims the walkout was due to disagreements with the ruling party.
The meeting aimed to set the agenda for the Upper House.
Opposition leaders are frustrated over time allocation for debates.
Trinamool Congress warned of protests regarding the EPIC issue.

New Delhi, March 28 (NationPress) The Chairman of Rajya Sabha, Jagdeep Dhankhar, exited a Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting on Friday, citing a "lack of decorum", as reported by sources. However, opposition members contended that his departure was a result of significant disagreements between them and the ruling party regarding topics intended for discussion in the House.

According to sources within the opposition, the Chairman departed mid-meeting due to conflicts between ruling and opposition MPs concerning discussions on "duplicate" voter ID numbers (EPIC) and the imperative to send bills for examination by parliamentary committees.

Conversely, Rajya Sabha sources indicated that the EPIC matter was not addressed during the meeting. They suggested that Dhankhar's exit was triggered by the adamant positions held by both government and opposition members, which obstructed any advancement.

The BAC meeting was organized to set the agenda for the Upper House for the forthcoming week. Opposition leaders voiced their dissatisfaction regarding the government's unwillingness to allocate time for debates on critical issues, including the EPIC card controversy, the situation in Manipur, and the examination of bills. Despite submitting notices for discussions on these issues daily, opposition MPs asserted that no time had been designated for such debates, further intensifying tensions between the factions.

In response, the opposition reaffirmed their readiness to be accommodating regarding the rules governing the discussion of the EPIC issue and the phrasing of the notice, insisting that the matter be debated in Parliament. The Trinamool Congress, which has consistently highlighted the EPIC card issue, cautioned that protests would ensue if the matter was not addressed in the House.

Notably, the matter of duplicate EPICs was raised by West Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC). Lok Sabha MPs from the Trinamool Congress recently addressed the issue of duplicate electoral photo identity cards and called for a comprehensive revision of the electoral rolls, even as the BJP accused the Trinamool government of West Bengal of including Bangladeshi Muslims and Rohingyas in the state's electoral roll.