Wed Feb 05 07:14:00 UTC 2025: ## Rajya Sabha Debate Turns Heated as Kharge, Shekhar Clash

**New Delhi:** A heated exchange erupted in the Rajya Sabha today during a debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address, pitting Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge against BJP MP Neeraj Shekhar. The confrontation stemmed from an interruption by Shekhar, son of former Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar, during Kharge’s speech on the falling rupee.

Kharge, visibly angered, reminded Shekhar of his father’s past association with him, using strong language including references to their shared history. He reportedly said, “I was your father’s companion. What are you talking about? I took you around. Shut up and sit down.”

The outburst caused an uproar in the house, prompting Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar to intervene and call for calm. Dhankhar, acknowledging Chandra Shekhar’s stature as a respected leader, requested Kharge to withdraw his remarks.

While both Kharge and Shekhar later claimed a cordial personal relationship, the incident sparked a wider debate on respect for elders and political discourse. Kharge defended his words, explaining his shared past with the late Chandra Shekhar, including their joint arrest. He further criticized the BJP for past insults directed at former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, arguing that the Congress party, unlike the BJP, tolerates such attacks.

Neeraj Shekhar, a former Samajwadi Party MP who joined the BJP in 2019, is the son of Chandra Shekhar, a prominent socialist leader who served as Prime Minister for six months in 1990-91. The incident highlights the often-fraught nature of political debate in the Indian Parliament.

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