Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar on Thursday said that appointment of his staff in various parliamentary committees was done after feedback and consultations from members.
In his address at an event here, he said: "You know the importance of Committees. I got inputs from a number of members and Chairmen of Committees to do something affirmative to improve productivity.
So, I sharpened the human resource attached to Committees. I put research-oriented, knowledgeable people so that they can help the Committee members to optimise output and performance."
He alleged that a narrative has been set afloat by sections of media that the Chairman has appointed his own members to the Committees. "Has anyone even checked the facts? Committees comprise the Members of Parliament.
It is their exclusive domain. I am terribly upset and concerned about what our editors are doing. Can you engage in such a narrative that is based on falsehood? And you don't care to check the truth.
I have acted because the Chairmen and Members had come up to me and I'm doing it after multi-layered consultations," Dhankar said. The Vice President's personal staff has been attached to Parliament committees according to an order by the Rajya Sabha Secretariat.
The attachment is to 12 Standing Committees and eight department-related Standing Committees. According to the Tuesday order, "following officers have been attached With the committee mentioned against their name with immediate effect and until further order".
OSD to the VP, Rajesh N. Naik has been attached in the important Business Advisory Committee which decides Parliament business and in the General Purpose Committee and Committee on Home Affairs.
Another OSD Abhyuday Singh Shekawat has been attached to the House Committee which allots accommodation to the MPs, and along with it, to the Petitions and Health Committee.
Kaustubh Sudhakar Bhalekhar was attached to the Transport, Tourism Committee and Dinesh D. to Personnel and Law. Senior Personal Secretary Aditi Chaudhary has also been given a place in the Committee on Subordinate Legislation, Women and Education.
Assistant Personal Secretary Sanjay Verma has been attached to the Committee on Government Assurances and Personal Secretary Sujeet Kumar to the Commerce Committee.