Mockery of democracy, says government as suspended TMC member mimics Vice President Dhankhar, Rahul Gandhi videographs act

Dhankhar says institution of Rajya Sabha Chairman had been ravaged and lamented what he termed a personal attack on his identity as a farmer and a Jat

Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar (left) during the Winter Session of Parliament and TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee mimics Rajya Sabha Chairman during a protest with suspended Opposition MPs. ANI photos

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 19

The government on Tuesday termed Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee’s act of mimicking Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar a disgrace to democracy and also questioned Congress MP Rahul Gandhi for laughing at Banerjee's act.

In a post on ‘X’, formerly Twitter, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi posted a video showing suspended MP Banerjee mocking Dhankhar and Rahul Gandhi standing in the frame making a video of the act.

“Mockery of democracy and the constitutional institutions. The I.N.D.I alliance reaches a new low as suspended TMC MP mimics a constitutional position, and the so-called messiah of democratic values, @RahulGandhi, stands there laughing at it. They are a disgrace to democracy, to the people they represent, and to the nation,” said Joshi.

Dhankhar earlier took strong exception to the development as he adjourned the proceedings of Rajya Sabha for the second time till 4 PM.

Dhankhar said the institution of Rajya Sabha Chairman had been ravaged and lamented what he termed a personal attack on his identity as a farmer and a Jat.

कोंग्रेसी तत्वों द्वारा ॥

देश के उपराष्ट्रपति ॥ और जाट समाज के गौरव ॥

जगदीप दनख़ड साहब की खिल्ली उड़ाईं गई है ॥

इस खिल्ली का हिसाब जाट समाज आने वाले लोकसभा चुनावों में ज़रूर लेगा ॥

धन्यवाद ॥
सूचना जाट हित में जारी ॥
— THE JAT ASSOCIATION (@Jatassociation) December 19, 2023

In his remarks before adjourning the house Dhankhar said, “I have adjourned the House. You are not aware of the kind of response that is against this institution in the mind of the people and we had the occasion to see the lowest level.”

Pointing to senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, the Chairman said, “Mr Chidambaram you are a very senior member. Imagine what must be going through my heart when your senior leader videographs a Member of Parliament mocking the Institution of Chairman, as an individual take on me.

Don't take on my background as a farmer, don't take on my background as community member. Institution of Chairman has been ravaged and that too by a political party that has gone far so long that a Member of Parliament, a senior one, videographs the other member. For what?”

Dhankhar said he has suffered. He also said to Chidambaram, “On Instagram, Mr Chidambram, your party put a video which was withdrawn later on. That was shame to me. You used official twitter handle of the spokesperson to demean me, insult me, insult my background as a farmer, my position as a Jat, insult my position as a Chairman. These are too serious issue.”

17:46 19 Dec

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