PM Dials Dhankhar Over 'Abject Theatrics' of MPs, Says 'I've Been on Receiving End For...'

A day after a political row erupted over a Trinamool Congress leader’s mimicry of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar during the INDIA bloc’s protest, Prime Minister Narendra Modi dialled Rajya Sabha Chairman and expressed ‘great pain’ over the ‘abject theatrics’ of some lawmakers.

Taking to a post on social media site X, the VP wrote: “Received a telephone call from the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi 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.”

Dhankhar said he told PM Modi that the antics of a few members won’t prevent him from performing his duty and “upholding the principles enshrined in the Constitution.”

“I am committed to those values from the bottom of my heart. None of the insults will make me change my path,” he added.

Row Over Dhankhar’s Mimicry

A row broke out on Tuesday after TMC 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.

Later, Dhankhar gave 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 said addressing Congress member P Chidambaram in Rajya Sabha.

Who said What?

The Bharatiya Janata Party went on the offensive over a viral controversial video of mimicry and launched a scathing attack on opposition leaders’ show of support for such an act. The saffron party demanded a formal apology from the opposition and said that the INDIA bloc takes pleasure in insulting people who come from backward and humble backgrounds and hold constitutional positions.

President Droupadi Murmu also condemned the conduct of Opposition MPs inside the Parliament complex.

“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,” Rashtrapati Bhavan’s official account said in a post on X.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla later met Dhankar and conveyed his deep concerns and anguish about serious misdemeanour by MPs in the Parliament complex demeaning and denigrating the constitutional office of the Vice President.

“It is shocking that one MP chose to amplify this ignoble act by video graphing. This is a new low and no one believing in democracy will ever appreciate it,” Birla said in a post on X.