VP Dhankar slams Leader of Opposition M Kharge for calling PM Modi "Mauni Baba" in context of Adani issue

New Delhi, Feb 8: Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and called him "Mauni Baba" while questioning his silence on the Adani issue.

In response to Kharge's remark, Rajya Sabha Speaker Jagdeep Dhankar said that such a remark "does not suit his stature". Kharge was replying to the President's address in the Rajya Sabha. He said, "I want to ask the pm why you are so quiet. You scare off every other person why are you not scaring industrialists?" "The people who spread hatred, if the PM raises an eye on them, they will sit down thinking I will not get a ticket this time. But today he has chosen to remain quiet. He has become a Mauni Baba," he added.

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Kharge was demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the Adani issue in the Rajya Sabha today. Meanwhile, Dhankar said, "It does not suit your stature. Frankly speaking, there are certain positions for which we have to have great regard. It was in this house on Dec 8, I said the leader of the house, LoP, and two former PMs will speak, I will look to the rule book later. Why? These positions have an August stand".

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"Similarly, You cannot treat institutions with that kind of observation. You are a senior member. If anyone in the house was to use an express LoP. I would come to the rescue of lop," he further said. "It is an elevated constitutional position. I expected that you will raise the level of debate," he stated. Rajya Sabha on Wednesday (Feb suspended both the 'Zero Hour' and the 'Question Hour' to begin debate on 'Motion of Thanks on the President's address'.