Be just to both sides, Kharge tells Chairman CP Radhakrishnan
New Delhi (PTI): Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday assured Chairman CP Radhakrishnan of cooperation from the Congress party in the smooth conduct of the House, as he also urged him to treat the Opposition and Treasury benches equally.
As the Rajya Sabha members felicitated the Vice President, who is also the Chairman of the Upper House, on his first day in the Chair, Kharge also remembered Radhakrishnan's predecessor, former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, triggering protests from the treasury benches.
Welcoming the Chairman on behalf of the Opposition parties, Kharge said the Congress "staunchly stands by Constitutional values and time-honoured Parliamentary traditions... be assured of our cooperation in the conduct of proceedings".
"Fair and impartial conduct of proceedings, providing just opportunity to members of each party, is essential for credibility of this office," Kharge said.
He referred to Dhankhar, who had resigned from the post of Vice-President on July 21 over health issues.
"I am constrained to refer to your predecessor's unexpected and sudden exit from the office of Chairman Rajya... I was disheartened that this House did not get an opportunity to give him a farewell," he said, triggering protests from the treasury benches.
Kharge urged the Chairman to ensure a balance between the Treasury and Opposition sides.
"Better if you keep a balance between both sides. I wish you a successful term," he said.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju slammed the Leader of Opposition for mentioning Dhankhar's resignation on the "solemn occasion".
"Why did the honourable Leader of Opposition refer to a case which was not necessary to be raised at this moment..." Rijiju said.
VIDEO | Parliament Winter Session 2025: Addressing the House, Rajya Sabha LoP and Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge said, “We are confident you (Chairman CP Radhakrishnan) will be impartial and treat Opposition, Treasury benches in equal measure.”
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 1, 2025
(Source: Third… pic.twitter.com/W6Qm3Z7o0X
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BJP aims not to erase Nehru, but to destroy him: Sonia Gandhi
New Delhi: Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has alleged that the BJP’s objective is not merely to erase Jawaharlal Nehru, but to destroy his legacy and the foundational values on which the nation stands.
Speaking at the Nehru Centre India event held at Jawahar Bhawan, Gandhi said that while analysis and criticism of Nehru’s contributions are welcome, deliberately twisting his words and writings is unacceptable.
Without naming the BJP or RSS directly, she said it is evident that the primary goal of the current administration is to blame Nehru for everything. According to her, the intention is not only to wipe out Nehru’s memory but to dismantle the social, political, and economic foundation of India itself.
Her remarks come days after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stirred controversy by claiming that Nehru wanted to use public funds to construct the Babri Masjid, a move he said was stopped by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. The Congress has dismissed Singh’s claim as false and accused him of attempting to fuel polarization.
Gandhi further stated that those attacking Nehru today had no role in the freedom struggle nor in the drafting of the Constitution. She added that the ideology behind these attacks had long cultivated an atmosphere of hatred, culminating in the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. Yet today, she said, the followers of Gandhi’s killers continue to glorify them.
While acknowledging that it is natural to analyze and critique the life of such a towering figure, she asserted that systematic attempts to rewrite history and tarnish Nehru’s legacy for narrow political motives cannot be accepted.
