No Constitutional transgression: RS Chairman Dhankhar slams Venugopal

New Delhi : Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Thursday slammed Congress leader K.C. Venugopal for his statement terming not inviting President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Dhankhar for the inauguration of the new Parliament building an insult, saying there was “no constitutional transgression”.

Responding to the charge of the Congress Rajya Sabha MP that it is an insult that the President and Vice President were not present at the inauguration of the new Parliament, Dhankhar said “We cannot trade on deficiencies. We can’t trade ignorance of others. Let me make it very clear, Vice President and President have been accorded the highest respect in the country. There has been no constitutional transgression.”

The Rajya Sabha chairman said that the position of the President and the Vice President or the chairman has to be kept at their level as expected and that was done.

“And that is what you have seen in the last three days also. I would appeal to you as a member of the leading opposition party, you must do your homework. Find out. It does not send a good message when you bring in the President also. Read the Constitution and you will find the role has been defined categorically… The President will address every session of Parliament, that was the original prescription in the Constitution.  And the (first) amendment was, once a year. The President has to act in accord with the Constitution…”

His remarks came after Venugopal said that in the last one month we witnessed two big events. One was the inauguration of the Parliament and their President and Vice President were not invited.

Venugopal said that you are the custodian of the Rajya Sabha and we members of the Rajya Sabha feel insulted.

The war of words ensued during the debate on the Women’s Reservation Bill in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Eighth Amendment) Bill, 2023, which seeks to provide 33 per cent reservation to women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, was passed by the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.