PM Modi calls Jagdeep Dhankhar over the mimicry row, expresses “great pain over the abject theatrics”

Amidst the row over TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee’s mimicry of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, the Rajya Sabha Speaker informed on Wednesday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to him over a phone call and conveyed profound concern and strong disapproval regarding the reported disrespectful conduct exhibited by the Opposition MPs. President of India, Draupadi Murmu also came out in support of Dhankhar, and she said that she was “dismayed” to see how the Vice President was “humiliated in the Parliament complex.”

Taking to social media platform “X”, Dhankhar stated that he told the Prime Minister who “expressed great pain over the abject theatrics of some MPs” that “the antics of a few won’t prevent” him from carrying out the duties vested upon him. “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 of India and that too in the Parliament was unfortunate. 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,” posted Dhankhar on “X”.

“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,” said the President of India, Draupadi Murmu, who stood in support of her Vice President.

Following the incident, the Rajya Sabha speaker received unequivocal support from several BJP MPs who were quick to condemn Kalyan Banerjee’s skit which drew the laughter of other protesting Opposition MPs.

A major controversy erupted after TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee was seen mimicking Rajya Sabha Speaker Jagdeep Dhankhar during a protest with the other suspended MPs at the Parliament’s Makar Dwar on Tuesday. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was purportedly filming Kalyan Banerjee’s gesticulations on his mobile phone. As many as 49 Opposition MPs were suspended from the Lok Sabha on Tuesday for alleged “serious misconduct” for the remainder of the winter session of the Parliament.

Massive protests from the Opposition had erupted in both houses, over their demand for a statement from Union Minister Amit Shah on the Parliament security breach. The fresh round of suspension came after 78 Opposition MPs from both houses were collectively suspended, and earlier this week, 14 MPs were suspended. The series of mass suspensions took the total tally up to a staggering 141 MPs suspended in a single session, the highest in the history of the Indian Parliament.

After the house resumed its proceedings at noon on Tuesday, Jagdeep Dhankhar expressed his disapproval of Kalyan Banerjee’s skit. Moreover, he highlighted senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s role in the mock parliament held by the protesting MPs. "Office of Chairman, Rajya Sabha and Office of Speaker is very different. Political parties will have their cross currents, they will have exchanges, but imagine a senior leader of your party, video graphing another member of another party…Mimicry of the Chairman, mimicry of Speaker. How ridiculous, how shameful, how unacceptable," said Jagdeep Dhankhar. Following this, he adjourned the proceedings of the house till 2 pm.