"INDI alliance emboldening him": Shehzad Poonawalla after Kalyan Banerjee dares Centre over Dhankhar mimicry
Dec 25, 2023
New Delhi [India], December 25 : In a blistering takedown of the Opposition after suspended TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee defiantly stood his ground and dared the Centre to put him in jail over his impression of Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla on Monday said the entire alliance of the Opposition was encouraging and emboldening the lawmaker.
Earlier, on Monday, the suspended MP stoked a fresh row as he said he would mimic Dhankhar many times over as he considered it an 'art form'.
Speaking at an event in West Bengal on Monday, the suspended TMC MP even dared the Centre to throw him behind bars over his impression of the Rajya Sabha chairman.
Hitting out at the TMC leader over his defiant stance, Poonawalla, in a personalised video address, said, "He calls it his right to mimic the Vice President. He also says the Vice President should not complain like a child does to his mother. His defiance shows that he has no regrets for his conduct. Let alone apologise, he is justifying his impression of the Rajya Sabha chairman. He says it (doing impressions) is an art form. He says it is right to insult those holding top public offices in the country."
Hitting out at leaders of the INDIA bloc, the BJP leader said, "Rahul Gandhi video-graphed the act. He stood there, encouraging him. The entire INDIA bloc is standing in support of this member. This only goes to show their mindset. The entire alliance, especially TMC and Rahul Gandhi, are emboldening Kalyan Banerjee".
Meanwhile, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Sunday invoked the mimicry row, saying he is a 'sufferer' who isn't spared despite being the chairman of the Rajya Sabha and holding one of the highest public offices of the country.
"I am a sufferer. A sufferer knows how to withstand from the inside, and take all upfront insults in one direction. We are in the service of our Bharat Mata (mother India). You will have to show integrity. You will have to exhibit high ethical standards. There will be pressures and counter pressures," Dhankhar said.
In the line of fire from the Treasury and the Centre, Banerjee issued a clarification earlier saying he did not intend to hurt anyone.
Addressing reporters, Banerjee said, "I wasn't intending to hurt anyone. I do not know why he is taking this on himself. Does he act like this in the Rajya Sabha?"
He added that he respects the Vice President as they both belong to the same profession -- law.
"I respect Dhankar Sahib a lot. He's also a senior advocate, I'm too. I've great respect for Dhankar-ji. Firstly, he belongs in the same profession as me and secondly, because he was formerly a governor (of West Bengal). He is our Vice President," Banerjee said.
Earlier, during a protest over the bulk suspension of Opposition MPs on the steps of the new Parliament complex during the recent Winter Session, the TMC Lok Sabha MP came up with what appeared to be a crude impression of the Vice President.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi was pictured videographing the act on his phone even as fellow Opposition members laughed and clapped.
Banerjee's crude impression of the Vice President stoked a major political showdown, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi dialling the Rajya Sabha Chairman to express 'great pain' over the 'abject theatrics' that he was at the receiving end of.
