'We Have To Ensure You Are Comfortable': Rajya Sabha LoP Kharge, Chairman Dhankhar Share Laughs During Session

While speaking in the Rajya Sabha, as Kharge rose to speak from his seat, he said that he couldn’t stand for a longer duration due to pain in his foot.

Parliament Session: The Rajya Sabha on Monday witnessed a heated debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address. Amid the storm in the Upper House, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar and Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge shared light moments in the House.

During the debate in the Upper House, as the Congress leader rose to speak from his seat, he said that he couldn’t stand for a longer duration due to pain in his foot. However, Chairman Dhankar gave a prompt response and said, “You may address the House while sitting.”

Kharge said he would sit only if the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha allowed him to do so. In response to the Congress leader's remarks, Dhankhar responded, “We have to ensure you are comfortable while addressing the House. If the physical disability or pain is of that extent that here and outside you are unable to stand, then you make your own call.”

The Congress President smiled at the Chairman’s response and said that a speech delivered while seated lacks the passion of one that is delivered while standing.

The Chairman agreed with Kharge and laughed. He said that there is no 'jazba' (passion) while sitting. “Kharge ji, I have helped you with this matter. I have kept your jazba (passion) alive,” said Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, and the Leader of Opposition replied with humour. “Sometimes you keep helping us, and we remember you too,” Dhankar said. The light exchange between the two invoked a laugh in the Rajya Sabha.

On Friday, LoP Kharge entered the Well of the Rajya Sabha during a protest over paper leaks. Reacting to this action, Dhankhar said it was the first time a member in Kharge’s position had done such a thing and called it a “stain” on Parliament.

While speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Kharge took a potshot at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement that the last 10 years of his rule were just a trailer and 'picture abhi baaki hai', saying the third term of the NDA has seen exam paper leaks, terror attacks in J&K, train accidents, airport canopy collapses, bridge cave-ins, and a toll tax hike.

Kharge said the prime minister during the Lok Sabha election campaign stated many times that "pichle 10 saal toh bas trailer tha, abhi asli picture baaki hai" (the last ten years were just a trailer, the real picture is yet to come). "How the PM's picture would be, we have been able to imagine in the last month," Kharge quipped.