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You wouldn't know about it had Rahul not recorded it: Mamata
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday played down the issue of Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar’s mimicry by her party’s MP, saying it was not meant to be disrespectful.
Asked about the mimicry row, Mamata Banerjee said, “We respect everyone. It was not disrespectful. It was just politically, casually... You would not even have known it if Rahul ji had not recorded it.”
The West Bengal chief minister was in the Parliament complex on Wednesday to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi over pending central funds for the state.
In the eye of the storm over the mimicry row, Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee also said that he never had any intention to hurt or disrespect Dhankhar.
Kalyan Banerjee said that he did not intend to hurt anyone but did not offer any apology for the mimicry act which has been described by Dhankhar as an insult to the post of vice-president, the farmers and his own community.
“Mimicry is not an offence, they (BJP) are trying to change the main issue which is whether suspension of opposition MPs was right,” the TMC MP said and claimed that even Prime Minister Narendra Modi has done it in the past.
“Did not have any intention at all to hurt anyone, including the Vice President. Have respect for constitutional positions,” he said on Wednesday.
Kalyan Banerjee said that he might have some differences with Dhankhar over a few issues but he meant no disrespect for him. He noted that Dhankhar had been a governor of his home state West Bengal and like him a lawyer. (PTI)Dismayed at Vice-President's humiliation: President Murmu
President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday said she was dismayed at the manner in which Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar was “humiliated” in Parliament complex. Elected representatives, she said, were free to express themselves but it should be within the norms of dignity and courtesy.
“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,” Murmu said in a post on X.
Responding to the President’s post, the Rajya Sabha chairperson said he is committed to upholding Constitutional principles till his last breath and insults cannot prevent him from doing so.
The Vice-President thanked Murmu for her kind words and the timely reminder that basic courtesies must always remain.
“I am committed to upholding Constitutional principles till my last breath. No insults can prevent me from doing so,” Dhankhar posted on X.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Vice-President Dhankhar and expressed great pain over the “abject theatrics” of some MPs in Parliament complex. (PTI)