Opposition leaders staged a walkout in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday after chairman Jagdeep Dhankar did not allow them to raise the matter of Vinesh Phogat's disqualification from 2024 Paris Olympics.
After the tabling of the listed papers, Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge raised the Phogat disqualification issue, saying that he wants to know "who is behind" it.
However, Dhankar did not allow Kharge to raise the issue. Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress MP Derek O'Brien stood up to raise some issues but again was not allowed by the Chair.
Dhankar further condemned the behaviour of Trinamool Congress MP Derek O'Brien, saying, "You are shouting at the Chair. I condemn this behaviour. Can anyone countenance such conduct?"
And as the opposition walked out of the House, Dhankar said, "...They (Opposition) think they are the only ones whose hearts are bleeding...The entire nation is in pain because of the girl. Everyone is sharing the situation but to monetise it, politicise it, is the greatest disrespect to the girl. That girl has a long way to go."
He expressed anguish and left the House for a while, saying, "For sometime I am not finding myself in a position to sit here." He added that he was leaving the House "with a heavy heart".
Later, after he Dhankar returned to the Chair, he said when a scene is created in the House and it becomes the epicentre of disruption for the entire nation, then it is a bounden duty to sometimes take a tough decision.
"I left my seat to introspect. Having witnessed (the scene)... which I found was unprecedented, and indigestible," Dhankhar said, adding he would be "walking away from the oath" if he does not take tough decisions.
The Chairman also informed that he has called a meeting of floor leaders at 1:30 PM to discuss the matter, news agency PTI reported.
Earlier in the day, Union Minister JP Nadda had spoken about Phogat in the Upper House and said that the whole country is standing with the wrestler.
"The PM yesterday called her “Champion of champions" and the PM’s voice is the voice of 140 crore people. Unfortunately, we are dividing this between the ruling side and the opposition," Nadda said.
Nadda further said that the opposition does not have any concrete mater which they want to discuss for which the ruling party is ready.
"I want to assure you that Govt of India, Sports Ministry and IOC tried redressal on all platforms," he noted.
Following the heartbreak of being disqualified from the Olympics, Vinesh Phogat announced her retirement from wrestling earlier this morning.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor shared a post on X with the hashtag of 'SorryVinesh!' and said, "This girl is caught in this system. This girl is tired of fighting."
