Rajya Sabha witnesses heated exchange as Kharge brings up former V-P Dhankhar’s ‘sudden exit’

Rajya Sabha on Monday (December 1, 2025) witnessed a heated exchange between Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge and Bharatiya Janata Party leaders Kiren Rijiju, and J.P. Nadda as the Upper House welcomed its new Chairman — Vice-President C.P. Radhakrishnan.

Following the remarks made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who recalled Mr. Radhakrishnan’s journey from an ordinary background to the office of Vice President, Mr. Kharge in his congratulatory address made a note that the Vice-President does not belong to any single party.

Parliament Winter session updates on December 1, 2025

Mr. Kharge quoted from former Vice-President Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan’s 1952 acceptance speech in which he had said, “I belong to no party”. The Congress president explained that he had chosen quote in light of some parliamentarians claiming that the Vice-President is from their party. “That means I belong to every party in this House,” Mr. Kharge read further from Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan’s speech. Mr. Kharge went on to note that Mr. Radhakrishnan’s uncle C. K. Kuppuswamy had been a member from Congress and elected from Coimbatore thrice.

Pointing out that C.P. Radhakrishnan shares his name with the nation’s first Vice-President, Mr. Kharge said that he hopes that the current Vice-President also shares a similar mindset. He assured the Chair of his party’s co-operation in the conduct of fair and impartial proceedings of the House and asked that just opportunity be presented to the members, whether they belong to Opposition or Treasury benches. 

“Disheartened by former V-P’s sudden exit”

Mr. Kharge moved on to refer to his Mr. Radhakrishnan’s “completely unexpected and sudden exit” from the office of the Chair of Rajya Sabha, which he said is unprecedented in the annals of Parliamentary history. He said that Rajya Sabha Chairman is the custodian of the entire House and therefore belongs as much to Opposition as to the government, prompting an uproar from the Treasury benches. The Congress leader added that he is disheartened that the House did not get the chance to bid farewell to Mr. Jagdeep Dhankar and wishes him well. “We are confident that you will take care of the entire sections of the House and be impartial, that you will treat Opposition and the Treasury benches in equal measures.” 

Questioning why the Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge brought up the case of Jagdeep Dhankar without necessity, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju recalled the removal notice submitted against the previous Vice-President by the Opposition, and said that Mr. Kharge should not have brought up this matter on such a solemn occasion.

In a similar vein, Leader of the House Jagat Prakash Nadda requested that Mr. Radhakrishnan’s welcome function be conducted with dignity. “If we speak about the issue of the previous Vice-President, it is not relevant or timely, else we will bring up other matters and these will be an obstacle in the conduct of the good and congenial debate which was going on.”