New Delhi: A day after a video from Parliament complex showing Trinamool Congress leader Kalyan Banerjee ostensibly mimicking the Rajya Sabha Chairman and Vice-President Vice President, PM Modi dialled Jagdeep Dhankhar, expressing great pain at the “abject theatrics” of some of the MPs. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the Rajya Sabha Chairman said, “Received a telephone call from the Prime Minister, Shri @narendramodi Ji. He expressed great pain over the abject theatrics of some Honourable MPs and that too in the sacred Parliament complex yesterday.”
“He told me that he has been at the receiving end of such insults for twenty years and counting but the fact that it could happen to a Constitutional office like the Vice President and that too in Parliament was unfortunate,” Dhankhar was quoted as saying on X.
Dhakhar said he told the PM Modi that the antics of a few won’t prevent him from performing his duty and upholding the principles enshrined in the Constitution. “I told him- Mr. Prime Minister, the antics of a few won’t prevent me from performing my duty and upholding the principles enshrined in our Constitution. I am committed to those values from the bottom of my heart. None of the insults will make me change my path,” Dhankhar said.
Received a telephone call from the Prime Minister, Shri @narendramodi Ji. He expressed great pain over the abject theatrics of some Honourable MPs and that too in the sacred Parliament complex yesterday. He told me that he has been at the receiving end of such insults for twenty…
— Vice President of India (@VPIndia) December 20, 2023
President Droupadi Murmu too condemned the incident and said that elected representatives must be free to express themselves, but their expression should be within the norms of dignity and courtesy.
“I was dismayed to see the manner in which our respected Vice President was humiliated in the Parliament complex. Elected representatives must be free to express themselves, but their expression should be within the norms of dignity and courtesy. That has been the Parliamentary tradition we are proud of, and the people of India expect them to uphold it.”
I was dismayed to see the manner in which our respected Vice President was humiliated in the Parliament complex. Elected representatives must be free to express themselves, but their expression should be within the norms of dignity and courtesy. That has been the Parliamentary…
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) December 20, 2023
A political row broke out on Tuesday after Trinamool Congress leader Kalyan Banerjee derisively mimicked Dhankhar during the opposition’s protest on the stairs of Parliament against the MPs’ suspension, drawing strong condemnation from the ruling BJP.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was seen making a video of the performance by Banerjee who appeared to mimic the way Dhankhar walked by leaning forward and made reference to having a spine.
Dhankhar had given vent to his anguish in Rajya Sabha, saying he was personally hurt as his farmer and Jat backgrounds were targeted. “Imagine what must be going through my heart when your senior leader videographs a Member of Parliament mocking the institution of the chairman,” he said in Rajya Sabha.
“…You used Twitter, the official handle of the spokesperson, to demean me, insult me, insult my background as a farmer, insult my position as a Jat, insult my position as chairman,” Dhankhar had said addressing Congress member P Chidambaram in Rajya Sabha.
At 2 pm, Dhankhar adjourned the House, expressing concern about the negative impact on the public’s perception of the institution. He called attention to the incident involving senior Congress leader Chidambaram videographing a Member of Parliament, emphasizing the damage to the institution of the Chairman.
Later, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi weighed in on the matter, highlighting the incident when the House reconvened at 5 pm. He criticized the Congress for insulting President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the past, adding that Rahul Gandhi’s actions were senseless. Joshi called for an apology from Congress leader Kharge.
An advocate has filed a complaint against Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee for his mimicry of Dhankhar on the premises of the Parliament complex.
“A complaint was given by advocate Abhishek Gautam at Defence Colony Police station on Tuesday evening. We have forwarded it to the New Delhi district police,” a police officer said.
Gautam in his complaint said the video was made with an “intention to insult and defame the Vice-President of India, his caste as well as his background of farmer and as a lawyer”. He demanded that an FIR be registered under the appropriate sections of IPC and the IT Act against the TMC MP and others seen in the video.
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