Dismayed to see Vice President humiliated, says President Droupadi Murmu over mimicry of RS Chairman

President Droupadi Murmu. File Pic

Expressing concern over the mimicry incident of Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar by suspended TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee outside the Parliament, President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday said that she was "dismayed to see the manner in which the respected Vice President was humiliated", reported news agency ANI.

Taking to her official handle on social media handle X, President Droupadi Murmu said that the people of India are proud of the country's Parliamentary tradition and 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 tradition we are proud of, and the people of India expect them to uphold it," the President posted on X.

Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Wednesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, too, voiced his pain over the theatrics by a member in the 'sacred' Parliament complex, calling it 'unfortunate'.

Taking to his official handle on social media handle X, Vice President Dhankhar said he received a telephone call from Prime Minister Modi during which he said he had been at the receiving end of such insults for twenty years and counting but doing the same to a Constitutional office in the Parliament was unfortunate.

"Received a telephone call from Prime Minister 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," VP Dhankar posted on X.

Replying to Prime Minister Modi, the Rajya Sabha Chairman said none of the insults will make him change his path adding that he is committed to upholding the values that he holds dear.

"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 posted.

Meanwhile, weighing in on the mimicry row, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday claimed it was a ploy to deflect public attention from the suspension of 141 MPs from the Parliament.

The members were suspended for raising a ruckus and disrupting proceedings in both Houses over their demand for a statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the Parliament security breach incident of December 13.

Sharing a old video clip of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Ramesh posted, "A desperate attempt is being made to divert attention away from the unprecedented suspension of 142 MPs by raising the issue of 'mimicry'. Remember who mimicked whom and that too in the Lok Sabha?"

Earlier, on Tuesday, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi demanded an apology from the INDIA bloc over the mimicry incident of Dhankar and said that the opposition members tried to belittle the image of the Vice President adding that they are against the tribal and farming communities of the nation.

While expressing concerns in Rajya Sabha over the mimicry incident, Joshi said," Leader of Congress, a former Congress President who could not manage his own party affairs was trying to encourage this unfortunate act. This incident has circulated on social media and people are condemning it."

Joshi further said that Congress also deliberately insulted President Droupadi Murmu earlier.

"From the beginning, Congress has deliberately been insulting our President, who comes from the tribal community and from day one their party leader in other house have insulted her. This puts a question on their mental state," he said.

"A senior congress leader and former Rajasthan Chief Minister also questioned the visit of Vice President to Rajasthan, when even model code of conduct was not in place. Their party attitude is against kisan (farmers), tribal and Jat communities. Congress and the Ghamandiya alliance should apologise. They tried to belittle the Vice President's image. This is highly condemnable. If little sense prevails in you then you should apologise I condemn the actions of Kalyan Banerjee and Rahul Gandhi," he added.

The suspended TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee, during the protest with other suspended MPs at Parliament's Makar Dwar, was seen mimicking the Vice President while Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was seen filming the Trinamool MP using his phone.

Forty-nine more opposition MPs were suspended from Lok Sabha on Tuesday for 'misconduct" for the remainder of the monsoon session. The total number of MPs suspended from Parliament is now 141.

(With inputs from ANI)