Mimicry row: Complaint filed against TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee for mimicking VP Jagdeep Dhankhar

A Supreme Court lawyer has filed a complaint against Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee who has stirred a row by mimicking Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar during the Opposition’s protest at the Parliament complex. The video of Banerjee derisively mimicking Dhankhar has since gone viral. In the video, a host of Opposition party members can be seen, as well as Rahul Gandhi. The advocate, Vineet Jindal, has filed a complaint with Ethics Committees of Rajya Sabha & Lok Sabha and sought the expulsion of all the members involved in the incident. 

The Opposition parties were protesting the suspension of 141 MPs, and drew condemnation from the ruling BJP. 

In the video Rahul Gandhi can be seen making a video of Banerjee’s performance, who mimicked Dhankhar’s gait by leaning forward and made a reference to his spine. “My spine is so straight, I’m so tall,” he was saying. 

The complaint was addressed to Prakash Javadekar, Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha Ethics Committee and Vinod Kumar Sonkar, Chairperson of Lok Sabha Ethics Committee. “This is a complaint against TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee, Rahul Gandhi MP (leader of Congress) and other MPs for making defamatory remarks, mocking and mimicking style of Rajya Sabha Chairman and Vice President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar while presiding over the house,” the letter said. 

Jindal’s complaint added that other MPs can be seen “hooting, mocking and cheering” Banerjee’s mimicry. He called the act a “shameful mockery”. He said that this act was “highly derogatory and offensive” to the dignity of the House. 

“It is a matter of great shame that the members of Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha have been so disrespectful and loud-mouthed to a person who holds one of the highest positions in the Indian Parliament,” said the complaint. He said that as per the rules of the Parliament, the House could punish its members for misconduct inside or outside of the House. If the conduct is found to be derogatory then the House could even expel a member, he said. 

The advocate pointed out that some members have also been suspended for their inappropriate behaviour. He said that the members are becoming habitual offenders and do not pay heed to any punishment. 

Dhankhar had also, in Rajya Sabha, spoken out about the mimicry and said that he was hurt by the act. "Imagine what must be going through my heart when your senior leader videographs a Member of Parliament mocking the institution of the chairman," he told Chidambaram who was present in the House. 

Dhankhar also posted on social media that Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with him over a call about the mimicry and expressed his anguish. “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 and that too in Parliament was unfortunate,” said Dhankhar. 

Meanwhile, Kalyan Banerjee said that he had no intention of hurting anyone. “Mimicry is an art and it was also done by the PM in Lok Sabha between 2014 and 2019,” Kalyan Banerjee added.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, sharing a clip of PM Modi from inside the House, said, “A desperate attempt is being made to divert attention away from the unprecedented suspension of 142 MPs by raising the issue of 'mimicry'. Remember who mimicked whom and that too in the Lok Sabha?” Mahua Moitra who was recently expelled from the Parliament shared the same clip and posted with the caption: “Mimicry is an art form practised by Masters”. 

"The mimicry incident took place outside the House, however, a resolution was passed in the House condemning it. Is it justified? We don't want to disrespect anyone, it is not in our character," says Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.

President Droupadi Murmu said that she was dismayed to see the manner in which VP Dhankhar was “humiliated in the Parliament complex”. She said that while elected representatives must express themselves freely, they must do so within the norms of dignity and courtesy. 

Also read: 49 more Lok Sabha Opposition MPs suspended today for 'unruly behaviour', total count touches 141