Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar reprimanded Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge in Parliament on Tuesday, as the heated debate continued over the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address.

Dhankhar cut off Kharge’s comments, saying that it’s time for the Leader of Opposition to “reflect” on his “disregard for the chair”.

“Na (Jairam) Ramesh mujhe bana sakte hai, na aap mujhe bana sakte hai (Neither can Jairam Ramesh give me power, nor can you)” said Kharge, prompting Dhankhar’s sharp remark

The Rajya Sabha chairman, admonishing Kharge for his remarks, said: “You cannot every time run down the chair. You cannot every time disrespect the chair… You stand suddenly and speak whatever you want without understanding what I am saying.”

“Never in the history of this country and Parliamentary democracy and Rajya Sabha proceedings, there has been such disregard for the chair, as from you… Time for you to reflect… Your dignity has been attacked multiple times… I have always tried to protect your dignity,” Dhankhar added.

“I have a lot of patience, I have tolerated this disrespect a lot, yet you stand up and twist my words. Yesterday was a horrible day, yet I have always stood up to protect your dignity,” he said.

This comes after a heated exchange took place between Dhankhar and Kharge in the Rajya Sabha on Monday on the issue of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). During the discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address, Leader of Opposition Kharge alleged that our education system has been taken over by the BJP and RSS people.

“Vice-Chancellors of Universities, Professors, NCERT, and CBSE are all under the control of RSS people and people with good ideas have no place there,” he said on Monday.

Dhankhar said that these remarks would be expunged from the record, and it is not a crime to be a member of any such organisation, condemning the communal angle given to the debate.

“Kharge ji this will not go on record. I am expunging it…. Is it a crime to be a member of any organization? That’s what you are saying, you are using words like hypocrites. How can I allow it? You are saying that an organization took over. This is wrong. Suppose a person is a member of RSS, is it a crime in itself? What is communal about this?” he said.

(With inputs from ANI)