The Rajya Sabha witnessed a war of words on Tuesday when Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar sarcastically said Jairam Ramesh should take the seat of Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, in an effort to discipline the Congress MP.
Kharge, who is also the president of the Congress, retorted by saying the chairman was trying to bring in the “Varna” (caste) system.
The acrimony started when Dhankhar aksed Pramod Tiwari of the Congress not to state unverified facts. To this, Ramesh said it would be authenticated.
“The senior leadership (Kharge) is here. I think you (Ramesh) should replace (Kharge)…. You are so intelligent, so gifted, so talented, you should immediately come and take the seat in place of Mr Kharge because, by and large, you are doing his job,” the chairman said.
At this point, Kharge retorted by saying “do not bring in the Varna system…That is why you are calling Ramesh very intelligent … And I am dull”.