Mimicry Row: ‘Video in my phone, never shared’ says Rahul Gandhi, asks why there is no discussion on MPs ‘thrown out of Parliament’
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi also asked the media why there was no discussion about Opposition MPs being thrown out of the House.
Mimicry row: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday blamed the news media for showing clips of TMC MP Kalyan Mukherjee impersonating and commenting on Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, stating that he had taken a video of MPs sitting outside Parliament, which remains on his phone and has never been shared with anyone.
The Congress MP also asked why there was no discussion about opposition MPs being ‘thrown out’ from the House of Representatives.
A massive political row broke out after Trinamool Congress leader Kalyan Banerjee mockingly mimicked Dhankhar during the opposition’s protest on the steps of Parliament on Tuesday against the suspension of MPs, drawing a strong condemnation from the ruling BJP.
Rahul Gandhi was seen taking a video of the TMC MP’s mimicry act.
When asked about making the video and claiming the vice president was offended, he said: “Who did the video offend and how? MPs were sitting there, I took their video which is still on my phone. The media keeps showing it and making comments, Modi ji is making comments, no one has said anything.”
‘Why no discussion about suspended MPs?’
Gandhi also lashed out at the media for discussing the suspension of MPs or other issues like the Adani row or Rafale.
#WATCH | Mimicry row | Congressman Rahul Gandhi says: “…MPs were sitting there, I recorded their video. My video is on my phone. The media is showing it…Nobody said anything…150 of our MPs have been thrown out of the House , but there is no discussion about that in the media.… pic.twitter.com/JivmXmWrcc
— ANI (@ANI) December 20, 2023
“Our 150 MPs have been thrown out and there is no discussion about that in the media… no discussion about Adani and Rafale. France has said investigations are not allowed. There is no discussion about that, there is no discussion about unemployment, our MPs are sad while you are sitting there discussing,” the Gandhi scion said.
The Wayanad MP urged the media to show some news and stressed that it is their responsibility.
Activist wants expulsion of Banerjee, Gandhi and other MPs
Earlier today, a social activist filed a complaint with the ethics committees of Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha, seeking expulsion of Kalyan Banerjee, Rahul Gandhi, for impersonating Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Parliament premises, among other charges .
Banerjee had mockingly impersonated the Rajya Sabha chairman during the Opposition’s protest on the steps of Parliament on Tuesday against the suspension of MPs, drawing strong condemnation from the ruling BJP.
In his complaint to the ethics committees of both Houses, lawyer Vineet Jindal – who describes himself as a social activist – alleged that the incident falls under the extreme case of misconduct by the members and urged the ethics committees to take strict action against the perpetrators by expelling them from the respective Houses.
Jindal has sought the expulsion of suspended TMC MP, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and other MPs involved.
(With input from agencies)