The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday witnessed some light moments amid heated debate on the motion of thanks to the President for her address to the joint session of Parliament.
It all started when Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge was participating in the debate and referred to the Adani Group saga. Prime Minister Narendra Modi too was present in the House.
Amid uproar over the allegations levelled by Kharge against the Adani Group and how the government favoured it, the Congress member also referred to his conversations with Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar in the past.
He claimed that the vice-president had told him how he, in his early years as an advocate, used to count cash with his hands, but later bought a machine when his practice took off. Kharge then asked the chairman if what he was saying was correct. “Yeh theek hai (this is correct),” replied a smiling Dhankhar.
Kharge then went on to say “When his practice expanded, he (Dhankhar) bought a machine and started counting money with that machine.” To this, Dhankhar, with folded hands, said, “Aisa maine nahi kaha (I didn’t say that).”
The chairman quipped, “Aisa lagta hai aap mere upar JPC bitha doge (It seems you will set up a JPC on me),” referring to the Opposition’s demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the Adani issue.
The PM and all other members broke into laughter over this exchange.