Modi, Murmu reach out to Dhankhar as political controversy intensifies

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar to convey his “pain”, and President Draupadi Murmu stressed that protests should not cross the “norms of dignity and courtesy”.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar to convey his “pain”, and President Droupadi Murmu stressed that protests should not cross the “norms of dignity and courtesy” as the suspended Trinamool lawmaker Kalyan Banerjee faced strong criticism for ostensibly mimicking the Rajya Sabha Chairman in the Parliament complex on Tuesday.

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Sharing details of the conversation with the Prime Minister, Dhankhar said in a post on X that Modi told him that he too has been at the receiving end of insults for the last 20 years. Dhankhar also thanked President Murmu for expressing her “dismay” over how the VP was treated.

“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…” Dhankhar wrote.

“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 added.

He also said that he told the PM that he remains committed to the values enshrined in the Constitution from the bottom of his heart. “None of the insults will make me change my path...”

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla also met Dhankhar on Wednesday and said the Opposition MP’s conduct was “demeaning”. “Conveyed my deep concerns and anguish @VPIndia and Hon’ble Chairman, Rajyasabha about serious misdemeanor by Hon’ble MPs in Parliament complex demeaning and denigrating the constitutional office of Vice President,” Birla posted on X.

Videos of Bannerjee ostensibly mimicking Dhankar on the steps of the new Parliament building were aired on TV channels and played out on social media on Tuesday, leading to a political uproar. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was seen filming the act as the MPs gathered to protest against a spate of suspensions from both Houses that has seen 143 Opposition MPs being ordered out for the rest of the Winter session.

On Wednesday, as the criticism grew, Banerjee told reporters that his intention was not to hurt anyone.

“Did not have any intention at all to hurt anyone, including the vice-president. I have respect for constitutional positions,” he said.

He, however, said mimicry is not an offence and alleged the BJP is “trying to change the main issue which is whether suspension of opposition MPs was right”.

Dhankhar said in the Rajya Sabhathat while he can tolerate being insulted, he will not brook any indignity shown to the Constitutional position he holds and the caste and farming community to which he belongs. “Khoon ke ghoont pita hoon, but I will not tolerate if I feel that I could not protect the decorum of this position...I am not bothered if anyone insults Jagdeep Dhankhar, but I cannot bear that I could not protect the honour of my post. It is my duty to protect the honour of the House...The post was disrespected. The farmers’ community was insulted,” he said.

As soon as Rajya Sabha assembled on Wednesday, Union minister Pralhad Joshi raised the issue. During Question Hour, as a mark of protest against the Opposition MPs, NDA MPs, including Union ministers Joshi, Nirmala Sitharaman, Piyush Goyal, Dharmendra Pradhan, Nitin Gadkari stood for about 10 minutes. MPs of the BJD, AIADMK and YSRCP also stood in solidarity with the NDA MPs.

Urging the members to take their seats, Dhankhar said he was touched by their gesture.

“I am the custodian of an institution, and I am accountable to it. Any affront to the institution, the position that I hold, I have to be a protector of it...Your gesture of standing has really touched my heart. I would request you to kindly take your seats and we will proceed with the proceedings of the House. Kindly resume your seats,” he said.

Speaking outside Parliament, however, Congress chief Kharge also asserted that the act of mimicking Dhankhar was not an “insult” to the farmers. “One should not provoke people outside by talking about casteism in the House... He (Chairman) said it (mimicking) is an insult to farmers...the Chairman should provide security to the MPs inside the House... Now if I am not allowed to speak, should I say it is because I am Dalit?” he said.

Gandhi, meanwhile, told reporters that the incident was a distraction to prevent “discussion” on the suspension of Opposition MPs from Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.