New Delhi [India]: Rajya Sabha Chairman and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar on Wednesday expressed his disappointment over the conduct of opposition members who continued to demand clarifications on External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s statement regarding recent developments in the India-China border areas, despite his ruling.
In a statement, Dhankar emphasized the importance of decorum in the House, stating, “Time and again, I have invited the attention of Hon’ble Members to the fact that we are being watched by the entire nation. Our demeanor is causing a serious dilution of the institution. When I refer every time to the kind of indecorous behaviour seen and the kind of body language reflected, it doesn’t earn me any accolades. But I do it only to restore, Hon’ble Members, your dignity.”
He further urged the members to adhere to the rules, saying, “I want you to kindly contribute and believe in some kind of rules. I would request the Members, please interact amongst yourselves outside the House. Evolve some kind of a consensus. There are issues of security, of national importance, where we need to exhibit exemplary conduct.”
The Chairman clarified that Jaishankar had already delivered a comprehensive statement on the matter. In his remarks, Jaishankar reaffirmed that maintaining peace and tranquility in the border areas was essential for the development of bilateral relations with China.
Jaishankar stated, “In the coming days, we will be discussing both de-escalation as well as effective management of our activities in the border areas.”
He added that the conclusion of the disengagement phase “now allows us to consider other aspects of our bilateral engagement in a calibrated manner, keeping our national security interests first and foremost.”
The minister also noted that in a recent meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, both parties agreed that the Special Representatives and the Foreign Secretary level mechanisms would convene soon.