Amid the brewing controversy over the mimicry incident, President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday expressed her dismay at the manner in which Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar was "humiliated" in the Parliament complex. She stressed that the elected representatives must be free to express themselves, but their expression should be within the “norms of dignity and courtesy.”
The president's condemnation comes a day after Trinamool Congress leader Kalyan Banerjee mimicked Dhankhar, who is also the chairman of Rajya Sabha, during the opposition's protest on the stairs of Parliament against the suspension of some Members of Parliament (MPs).
“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 her official social media handle.
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Dhankhar thanked the President for her “kind words and the timely reminder that basic courtesies must always remain.”
{{/usCountry}}Dhankhar thanked the President for her “kind words and the timely reminder that basic courtesies must always remain.”
{{/usCountry}}“I am committed to upholding Constitutional principles till my last breath. No insults can prevent me from doing so.”
Earlier today, the Vice President said he received a phone call from Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing deep concern and condemnation over the behaviour of some opposition MPs.
“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 wrote on X.
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Meanwhile, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla met Dhankhar and expressed his concern over the "serious misdemeanor" by some MPs "demeaning and denigrating" the constitutional office of the Vice President while terming it a "new low".
Suspended TMC lawmaker Kalyan Banerjee appeared to mock Dhankhar by ostensibly mimicking his mannerisms while conducting a mock sitting of the House. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was seen recording the act on his mobile phone.
As many as 49 more opposition lawmakers were suspended from Lok Sabha on Tuesday for unruly behaviour, taking the total number of MPs facing action in both Houses of Parliament to 141.