Jagdeep Dhankhar has brought casteism to Parliament, Mallikarjun Kharge says as Opposition MPs march to Vijay Chowk to protest against suspension

New Delhi, December 21

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday alleged that Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar had brought casteism to Parliament after the Vice President had slammed a TMC leader’s mimicry of him and called it an insult to his background as a farmer and Jat.

Kharge made the remarks after opposition MPs marched to Vijay Chowk from Parliament to protest the suspension of 143 MPs from the House.

The Congress president, flanked by MPs and leaders of INDIA bloc parties, alleged that it was a matter of breach of privilege of the House that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah had spoken outside Parliament while it was in session and did not address the House over the Lok Sabha security breach incident.

“We wanted to raise Parliament security breach issue as to why it happened and who is responsible,” Kharge said.

The opposition wanted to speak on the issue but Prime Minister Modi and Home minister Shah did not turn up, even as the PM continued to make speeches elsewhere, Kharge said.

INDIA bloc leaders will protest at Jantar Mantar on Friday against suspension of MPs and nationwide protests will also be held in all district headquarters.

He alleged that the government didn't want the House to function.

In an apparent reference to the mimicry issue and Dhankhar's remarks on it, Kharge said, “I am sorry to say that the Rajya Sabha Chairman has in a way brought casteism to Parliament by raising an issue.”  

A political row broke out on Tuesday after Trinamool Congress leader Kalyan Banerjee derisively mimicked Dhankhar during the opposition's protest on the stairs of Parliament against the MPs' suspension, drawing strong condemnation from the ruling BJP.

Dhankhar had given vent to his anguish in Rajya Sabha, saying he was personally hurt as his farmer and Jat backgrounds were targeted.