PM Modi welcomes new Rajya Sabha chairman with veiled dig at Dhankhar? 'After reaching high positions, people often...'

PM Modi speaks in Rajya Sabha on the first day of the Winter Session.

As new Rajya Sabha chairman CP Radhakrishnan took charge on Monday, PM Narendra Modi the Vice President said it was a "proud moment" for the House.

Praising the VP ahead of the winter session, the PM said, "In public life, after reaching high positions, people often feel the weight of office and sometimes get constrained by protocol. But I have seen that you have never been bound by protocol in that way. You rise above it. In your personality, we see service, dedication and discipline, qualities from which we all draw inspiration in public life..."

His remarks may be seen as a veiled dig at former VP Jagdeep Dhankhar. After the former VP suddenly resigned as Vice-President last year, it was said he was out of the PM's "good books".

PM Modi had acknowledged the resignation in a brief post on X, without any elaboration. “Shri Jagdeep Dhankharji has got many opportunities to serve our country in various capacities, including as the Vice President of India. Wishing him good health,” he said.

Though there is no official word on what prompted the resignation. At the heart of it all was reportedly an Opposition-backed notice for a motion to remove Justice Yashwant Varma. The judge hit the headlines after a massive cash recovery at his official residence.

When Rajya Sabha met for the Monsoon Session last year, Opposition MPs moved the notice. Dhankhar accepted the notice and asked the House's secretary general to take necessary steps.

This move may not have sat well with the government, which intended to lead the offensive against the judge and corruption in the judiciary.

Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge also mentioned the former VP during his address to the House. "..I hope you will not mind that I am constrained to refer to your predecessor's completely unexpected and sudden exit from the office of the Chairman, Rajya Sabha. The Chairman, being custodian of the entire house, belongs as much to the opposition as to the government. I was disheartened that the house did not get an opportunity to bid him a farewell. Regardless, wish him, on behalf of the entire opposition, a very healthy life," said the Congress chief.

PM Modi on Monday assured the new Rajya Sabha chairman that all the members sitting in this House, while maintaining the dignity of the Upper House, will always take care of his dignity as well. "I assure you that they will maintain decorum. Our Chairman comes from a simple family, a farmer's family, and he has dedicated his entire life to social service. The political field has been one aspect of it, but the mainstream has been social service. He has been dedicated to society. He is an inspiration and a guide for all of us who are interested in social service," said the PM.