New Delhi, March 18 Congress leader Jairam Ramesh criticized the government in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, saying that while a farewell function was held for MPs retiring in the next three months, there has been no such function for former Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, who was "compulsorily retired."
After retiring members gave their farewell speeches and other members praised their contributions, Ramesh stood up to say that while those retiring are receiving farewells, former Chairman Dhankhar is not.
Speaking in the Rajya Sabha at the end of the biennial farewell to retiring MPs, Ramesh said, "We have been having this farewell function for six hours now. I have one simple and direct question to the (minister of parliamentary affairs). We have given farewell functions to many MPs. I want to ask, when will you give farewell to the former Chairman?"
"You forced him to retire. But why are you not holding a farewell function for him?" Ramesh asked.
Later, in a post on X, Ramesh said, "Today, the Rajya Sabha held a farewell function for MPs retiring in the next three months. It lasted almost 6 hours, with the Prime Minister attending for about an hour."
"Sadly, even after 8 months, there has been no farewell function for the former Vice President and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, who was compulsorily retired on July 21, 2025," the Congress leader said.
The Congress has previously alleged that Dhankhar was "forced to resign" because the Modi government did not approve of his support for farmers.