Dismayed to see VP humiliated, says Murmu


New Delhi: Expressing concern over the mimicry incident of Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar by suspended TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee outside the Parliament, President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday said that she was “dismayed to see the manner in which the respected Vice President was humiliated”.

Taking to her official handle on social media handle X, the President said that the people of India are proud of the conutry’s Parliamentary tradition and expect them to uphold it.

“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 X.

Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Wednesday 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 Dhankar 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.

Meanwhile, weighing in on the mimicry row, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday claimed it was a ploy to deflect public attention from the suspension of 141 MPs from the Parliament.