New Delhi: Vice President and Rajya Sabha chairperson Jagdeep Dhankhar on Wednesday (July 31) once again reiterated his support for the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), calling it an organisation with “unimpeachable credentials”, while expunging remarks made by Samajwadi Party MP Ramji Lal Suman, who alleged that the criterion for appointments to the National Testing Agency (NTA) was if a person belonged to the RSS.
While asking a supplementary question about the NTA, which has been embroiled in criticism over the conduct of competitive examinations including the NEET and NET, Suman said that the government’s main criterion for appointments was if a person belongs to the RSS, which is the BJP’s ideological parent organisation.
Dhankhar then interjected and said that his remark would not go on record as the RSS was an organisation with “unimpeachable credentials”, leading to an uproar in the House.
“I have asserted in this house that the organisation has unimpeachable credentials. I take exception. It will not go on record,” said Dhankhar.
Amid the uproar, Congress MP and leader of opposition Mallikarjun Kharge then rose from his seat and said that the Samajwadi Party MP had not violated the rules of the House and that he should not be stopped from speaking the “truth”.
“You are the custodian of the House. But a member who is speaking under the rules, until he does not violate the rules, he should not be stopped from speaking. What he is saying is true. When the truth is spoken, they can answer. This is not right. You’re misusing … this is not right,” said Kharge.
Dhankhar then said that the leader of the opposition had “in a sense indicated to the chair that I have transgressed the rules by objecting to the member”.
He said that while he agrees with Kharge about the rules, Suman was not transgressing the rules but “trampling the Constitution of India”.
“For this reason I say the RSS is a global think-tank of the highest order, nothing else will go on record. I will not permit a member to single out an organisation doing national service,” he said.
“This is a violation of the constitution. Under our fundamental rights, under part 3 of the constitution, organisations have rights,” he continued amid an uproar from both the opposition and treasury benches.
“I declare here that the honourable member raised the issue that is not only against the rules but against the Constitution of India,” said Dhankhar and declared that Suman’s remark had been expunged.
“This organisation has all the right to contribute to national growth, for national development,” said Dhankhar.
“I hereby rule that the RSS is an organisation that has full constitutional rights to participate in the development journey of this nation. This organisation bears unimpeachable credentials and comprises people who are deeply committed to serving the nation selflessly. To take exception that a member of this organisation cannot participate in the development journey of the nation is beyond the rules. I therefore do not allow the member to raise the issue.”
Dhankhar then said that it was not for the first time that he was saying that the RSS was an organisation that has worked for national development.
“I have said, this is not for the first time. I am reiterating. The nation needs to get the benefits … 1.4 billion people have to contribute to the development of the nation. It is soothing to note, it is wholesome to note, that the RSS as an organisation has been contributing for national welfare, our culture, and everyone should, as a matter of fact, take pride in any organisation which is acting in this manner.”
Earlier this month, during the motion of thanks to the president’s address, Dhankhar had expunged remarks made by Kharge on the RSS.
“You are saying a particular person is a member of the RSS. Is that in itself a crime? The RSS is an organisation working for the nation. They have a lot of intelligent people,” he said.
On July 9, the Narendra Modi-led Union government revoked the ban on government servants from joining the RSS, but has classified the files pertaining to this decision.