Mimicry Row: Congress shares old video of PM Modi mocking ex-Vice President Hamid Ansari
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh shared an old video of Prime Minister Modi ‘spotting’ ex-Vice Chairman Hamid Ansari during his farewell in the Rajya Sabha in 2017.
Mimicry row: Amid the political storm over a suspended TMC MP impersonating Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar on Parliament premises yesterday, the Congress on Wednesday shared an old video of Prime Minister Narendra Modi “spotting” ex-Vice Speaker Hamid Ansari during his farewell in the Rajya Sabha in 2017.
“It was August 10, 2017 during Shri’s farewell. Hamid Ansari, who retired as Vice President and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha after a long tenure of ten years. It was then very shocking that the Prime Minister mocked Mr Ansari, one of India’s most senior diplomats, reducing his identity to his religion and in effect claiming that his entire professional and political achievements were due to his religious identity,” said Congress leader Jairam Ramesh. wrote on X while sharing a video of the Prime Minister’s speech in the Senate.
It was August 10, 2017 during the farewell of Shri. Hamid Ansari, who retired as Vice President and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha after a long tenure of ten years. Most shockingly then, the Prime Minister mocked Mr Ansari, one of India’s most senior diplomats,… pic.twitter.com/sNRCtauWEq
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) December 20, 2023
“The Prime Minister sang almost the same song at the evening farewell function at the Parliament Library auditorium,” Ramesh added.
Ramesh termed the outrage over Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Kalyan Banerjee’s impersonation of Dhankar as an “absolutely pathetic attempt to divert attention from the undemocratic suspension of 144 MPs from Parliament” and the security breach of parliament on December 13. -beater” hypocrites for their selective outrage, forgetting that Modi had done the same with a constitutional authority in the not so distant past.
“Such a petty prime minister and his drummers who talk about the insults leveled against constitutional authorities are hypocrites and opportunists of the worst kind,” the congressman said.
Mimicry row
On Tuesday, TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee mockingly imitated the Rajya Sabha chairman during the opposition’s protest on the steps of Parliament against the suspension of MPs, drawing strong condemnation from the ruling BJP.
Rahul Gandhi was seen taking a video of the TMC MP’s mimicry act.
After the incident, Dhankar lashed out at the TMC leader for the skit and Rahul Gandhi for filming it. “Shameful, ridiculous and unacceptable that one MP would make a mockery and a second MP would videotape that incident,” the vice president said.
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 .
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.
A complaint has also been filed against Banerjee at a police station in Delhi.
Rahul blames the media
Reacting to the incident, Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday blamed the news media for showing clips of Banerjee’s improvised skit and passing remarks, 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.
(With input from agencies)