The intense clash led to the unexpected adjournment of the House, raising concerns about decorum and parliamentary conduct.
The Rajya Sabha witnessed a tumultuous scene during the monsoon session of Parliament on Friday, as Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar and Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Derek O'Brien engaged in a tense and heated argument. The altercation ultimately resulted in the sudden adjournment of the House for the day.
The confrontation unfolded when O'Brien vigorously advocated for a discussion on the recent Manipur violence and vehemently protested against the non-admission of notices issued by opposition members under Rule 267. The Chief of the Upper House, visibly perturbed by O'Brien's actions, labeled them as "theatrics" and emphasized the need for greater respect and decorum within the parliamentary setting, as reported by Hindustan Times.
As many as 47 Members of Parliament (MPs) from various parties, including Congress, Left parties, TMC, Samajwadi Party (SP), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), had submitted notices under Rule 267, which calls for the suspension of the listed business to address pressing issues raised by the MPs.
Dhankhar, while reading out the names of the MPs who had submitted notices under Rule 267, conveyed that similar notices had been submitted since the commencement of the Monsoon session on July 20, with none of them being accepted. On July 25, as many as 50 such notices were presented.
The Chairman pointed out that he had already agreed to a short-duration discussion on the matter and urged the members to transcend partisan interests and engage in a constructive debate under Rule 176. He stressed the importance of Question Hour, a crucial part of parliamentary proceedings, where MPs raise questions to the government.
However, O'Brien persisted in pressing for the motion that opposition parties have been seeking to move since the beginning of the Monsoon Session. This further exacerbated the situation, with Dhankhar admonishing the TMC leader for resorting to theatrics and implored him to show respect to the chair.
"I am on the rule," retorted Derek O'Brien, thumping his desk to assert his point.
The Chairman's patience wore thin, and he admonished O'Brien for thumping the table and categorically stated, "We will not tolerate this. I am sorry."
Following O'Brien's continued argument, the House was adjourned for the day. Dhankhar expressed his intention to hold discussions with leaders of political parties to address the situation before reconvening on Monday, July 31.