Mimicry of Vice President in Parliament: PM Modi expressed pain, says Jagdeep Dhankhar

A video, which went viral on social media, shows Banerjee, one of more than 100 suspended MPs in the winter session, was doing a mimicry of Dhankhar.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, a top leader of the country's primary opposition force, was seen video recording the act.

Dhankhar, who is the Chairman of Rajya Sabha, on Wednesday posted on X to say he was contacted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who "expressed great pain".

The Vice President posted on X, "Received a telephone call from the Prime Minister, Shri @narendramodi 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.

"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."

When pressed for a response to Modi's reaction, Rahul Gandhi said, "I am not commenting."

As soon as the House reconvened at 2 pm on Tuesday, Dhankhar strongly disapproved of the actions of the members mimicking the Chair and making a video of it. He termed it as a very serious issue.

"Hon'ble members, 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 to see the lowest level," he said after announcing adjournment of the House.

"Mr Chidambaram is here. 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 takes on me."

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