No Confidence in the Vice President

On Tuesday (December 10), ‘INDIA’ created history with the submission of a no-confidence motion against Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, marking a significant moment in Indian parliamentary history, as it is the first such motion directed at a Vice President.

The motion, spearheaded by Congress and supported by various parties including the Trinamool Congress (TMC), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and Samajwadi Party (SP), accuses Dhankhar of conducting the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha in a “partisan manner.” This action follows a series of tumultuous sessions in Parliament, characterised by heated exchanges between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and opposition members, particularly over allegations linking Congress leaders to billionaire George Soros.

The opposition claims that Dhankhar has frequently interrupted their speeches and allowed the ruling party to dominate discussions, undermining the principles of parliamentary democracy.

According to Article 67(b) of the Indian Constitution, the motion requires a 14-day notice and a majority vote in both the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha for removal, making its success unlikely given the current composition of Parliament.

Despite this, the opposition views the motion as a necessary step to highlight concerns regarding Dhankhar’s impartiality and to assert their commitment to democratic processes. This is also not the first time that such a step has been mooted as Dhankhar’s behaviour had made the INDIA bloc consider a no-confidence motion in the Monsoon session as well but the action was postponed.

Jargon

No-confidence motion: A formal proposal submitted by members of Parliament to remove a sitting official, in this case, the Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman, Jagdeep Dhankhar, due to perceived bias or misconduct.
Jagdeep Dhankhar: The current Vice President of India and ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, who has been accused by opposition parties of conducting parliamentary proceedings in a partisan manner.
Opposition: Political parties that are not part of the ruling government, in this context referring to the coalition known as the INDIA bloc, which includes parties like Congress, TMC, AAP, and others.
partisan manner: Conducting oneself in a way that shows favoritism towards one political party over others, undermining the impartiality expected from a presiding officer.
INDIA bloc: A coalition of opposition parties in India, formed to challenge the ruling government and address various political issues collectively.

Viewpoints 💭

‘Left’ Viewpoint

Ideological Differences

‘Right’ Viewpoint

The opposition accuses Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar of conducting Rajya Sabha proceedings in a partisan manner, favouring the ruling BJP and stifling opposition voices.
The no-confidence motion is seen as a necessary step to uphold parliamentary democracy and highlight the misuse of constitutional offices by the ruling government.
Opposition parties, including Congress, TMC, AAP, and SP, argue that Dhankhar’s actions compromise the neutrality of the Rajya Sabha and violate parliamentary norms.
The opposition claims that Dhankhar frequently interrupts their speeches, denies adequate debate time, and makes personal remarks against members, which they see as a breach of parliamentary rules.
Despite lacking the numbers to pass the motion, the opposition views it as a symbolic fight to protect democratic institutions and hold the government accountable.

The left views the no-confidence motion as a critical step to challenge the perceived misuse of power by the ruling BJP, while the right sees it as an unnecessary disruption to parliamentary proceedings.
Opposition parties argue that Dhankhar’s conduct undermines democratic principles, whereas the ruling party defends his actions as necessary for maintaining order and addressing national security concerns.
The left sees the motion as a symbolic gesture to highlight grievances and demand accountability, whereas the right views it as a futile attempt to gain political leverage in the face of a strong majority.

The ruling BJP and its allies dismiss the no-confidence motion as a diversionary tactic by the opposition, asserting that Dhankhar is committed to public welfare and parliamentary integrity.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju and other BJP leaders criticise the opposition for disrespecting the dignity of the parliamentary chair and disrupting proceedings.
The BJP-led NDA, holding a majority in the Rajya Sabha, is confident that the motion will be defeated, viewing it as an attempt by the opposition to gain political mileage.

Prominent Voices 📣

From the ‘Left’

From the ‘Right’

Mallikarjun Kharge (Congress President and Leader of the Opposition): Expressed dissatisfaction with the frequent interruptions and alleged bias of the Rajya Sabha Chairman, impacting the fair expression of opposition views. ¹ ²
Sagarika Ghose (TMC MP and Deputy Leader in Rajya Sabha): Criticised the government for undermining parliamentary democracy and emphasised the symbolic nature of the no-confidence motion as a fight for institutional integrity. ³ ⁴
Digvijaya Singh (Congress MP): Accused the Rajya Sabha Chairman of being the most biased presiding officer he has encountered, favouring the ruling party. ³ ⁵
Jairam Ramesh (Congress leader): Expressed that the INDIA bloc had no choice but to submit the no-confidence motion due to Dhankhar’s partisan conduct, emphasising the painful but necessary decision for democracy. ⁶ ⁵
Sushmita Dev (TMC MP): Emphasised the constitutional validity of the no-confidence motion and criticised the BJP for avoiding discussions on public issues. ⁷ ⁸

Sanjay Singh (Senior AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP): Confirmed the INDIA bloc’s unified decision to submit the motion. ⁹ ¹⁰
Akhilesh Yadav (Leader of Samajwadi Party): Supported the motion, citing Dhankhar’s favouritism towards the ruling party. ¹¹
Priyanka Chaturvedi (Shiv Sena leader): Backed the opposition’s move against Dhankhar. ¹⁰
Nadim ul Haq (TMC leader): Highlighted the opposition’s collective effort in submitting the motion against Dhankhar. ⁵ ¹²

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Kiren Rijiju (Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister): Criticised the opposition for disrespecting the parliamentary chair and expressed confidence in the rejection of the motion. ¹³ ¹⁴
Om Birla (Lok Sabha Speaker): Emphasised the importance of maintaining parliamentary decorum and criticised the Opposition for their behaviour. ¹⁵
Giriraj Singh (Union Minister): Criticised the opposition for not allowing the House to function to evade accountability. ² ¹⁶
Arun Singh (BJP MP): Blamed the Congress and opposition for disrupting parliamentary proceedings and accused them of colluding with foreign forces. ¹⁷ ¹⁸