Vinesh Phogat's disqualification from the Paris Olympics 2024 took center stage in Rajya Sabha on Thursday when the opposition lambasted the Modi Government and raised various question on how India an Indian wrestler faced such a situation. Among the many opposition leaders, one was Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP, Derek O'Brien. Derek O'Brien started trending on social media after Vice President & Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar reprimanded Derek O'Brien in the Parliament and called his behaviour 'ugliest'.
Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said, "Mr. Derek O'Brien, you are shouting at theChair. Your conduct is the ugliest in the House. You are shouting at the Chair. I condemn your action. Next time, I will show you the door. How dare you shout at the Chair?"
Dhankar also slammed the opposition over conduct saying, "...They (Opposition) think they are the only ones whose hearts are bleeding...The entire nation is in pain because of the girl. everyone is sharing the situation but to monetise it, politicise it, is the greatest disrespect to the girl. That girl has a long way to go.."
Who is Derek O'Brien?
Based in Kolkata, Derek O'Brien is the Rajya Sabha MP from West Bengal from TMC. Going by his company 'Derek O'Brien & Associates' Linkedin profile, "Derek O'Brien, Asia's best-known quiz master, began his professional career as a sports journalist but soon shifted to advertising. After working for a number of very successful years as Creative Head of Ogilvy, Derek decided to focus all his energy and talent in his passion - quizzing."
For those who are unaware, Derek O'Brien was the Quiz master of the famous BorunVita Quiz Contest. As per reports, Derek O'Brien comes from an Irish family and is said to be a descendant of n Irish soldier who came to India in the early 1860s and whose descendants married into the Bengali community. Derek O'Brien grandfather Amos O'Brien, was the first Christian to serve as head of the Department of English, Banaras Hindu University (BHU).
Talking about Derek O'Brien's educational qualification, he went to St. Xavier's Collegiate School in Kolkata and, for a short period, St. Columba's School in Delhi, and then spent two years at Scottish Church College, Kolkata. Derek is married to Tonuca Basu, who is practising medicine in Brooklyn, New York. Before, Basu, Derek O'Brien was reportedly married to Rila Banerjee and the couple has a daughter named Aanya.
It is pertinent to mention here that it is not the first time Derek O'Brien is facing a suspension threat from the Parliament. Derek was suspended from the Rajya Sabha for "ignoble misconduct" after a face-off with the House Chairman amid the uproar over the Lok Sabha security breach incident in December 2023. During the argument, Derek O'Brien moved into the area in front of the Chair and flung his arms in the air. On that day, Dhankar removed Derek from the house. Later, the Upper House adopted a motion moved by Leader of the House Piyush Goyal to suspend O'Brien for the remainder of the session.