VP Dhankhar Mimicry Row: BJP stages protest in Bhopal, seeks apology from Congress

BHOPAL: Amid the controversy triggered after Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Kalyan Banerjee was seen mimicking Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi filming the same, the Bharatiya Janata Party today held a protest against the opposition MPs and demanded an apology from them.

The BJP leaders were seen holding placards and sloganeering against the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. "They have denigrated the sentiments of 140 crore Indians. The country wants Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi to apologize. They have humiliated one of the top constitutional posts of our country. The Congress and the INDIA bloc are consistently humiliating the country. They have nothing to do with the country's pride", said VD Sharma, Madhya Pradesh BJP President.

"Although they keep talking about OBCs, today, they have insulted an OBC leader, a farmer's son and a Jaat leader. The country will not forgive them", he added. The controversy erupted after suspended Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee, during the protest with other suspended MPs at Parliament's Makar Dwar, was seen mimicking Vice Presiden Jagdeep Dhankhar, while Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was seen filming the Trinamool MP using his phone.

Meanwhile, responding to the allegations, Rahul Gandhi said that the media is entirely focused on showing the mimicry incident and not highlighting the pain and agony of the suspended MPs. "MPs were sitting there, I shot their video. My video is on my phone. The media is showing it. Nobody has said anything.150 of our MPs have been thrown out (of the House) but there is no discussion on that in the media. There is no discussion on Adani, no discussion on Rafale, no discussion on unemployment," Gandhi said.

"Our MPs are disheartened and sitting outside. Please show their side also. What can we do if you are running on one line," he added. As Parliament continues to witness the suspension spree, two more members of Lok Sabha were suspended on Wednesday for the remainder of the winter session. Lok Sabha MPs from Kerala--Thomas Chazhikadan and AM Arif--were suspended today for misconduct in the Lower House.

Meanwhile, a total of 143 MPs--97 from Lok Sabha and 46 from Rajya Sabha--have been suspended so far for creating a ruckus and disrupting proceedings in both Houses, demanding a statement from Union Minister Amit Shah concerning the Parliament security breach incident.

Earlier in the day, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar 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 Dhankhar 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.