‘Mimicry an art… PM Modi also did it’: TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee at centre of row with Vice President Dhankhar

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Jagdeep Dhankhar over phone, expressing great pain at the “abject theatrics” of some of the MPs. “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,” the Vice President’s Secretariat informed.

I never wanted to hurt anyone’s feelings. Mimicry is an art. I always mimic people. But I didn’t want to hurt anyone, says Kalyan Banerjee @IndianExpress pic.twitter.com/uASbz5XXhb

— Liz Mathew (@MathewLiz) December 20, 2023

“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 (formerly Twitter).

“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 told the PM.

In a video clip, Banerjee, surrounded by other Opposition leaders, can ostensibly be seen impersonating the Rajya Sabha Chairperson and saying: “My spine is so straight, I’m so tall,” which also featured Gandhi appearing to record the TMC MP. Targeting Rahul Gandhi, Dhankhar said, “Office of Chairman, Rajya Sabha and Office of Speaker are very different. Political parties will have their cross currents, they will have exchanges, but imagine a senior leader of your party videographing another member of another party… Mimicry of the Chairman, mimicry of Speaker. How ridiculous, how shameful, how unacceptable.”

Dhankhar’s remarks came against the backdrop of protests by the Opposition, demanding a discussion on the December 13 Parliament security breach.