Behaviour of Kalyan Banerjee, Rahul Gandhi insult to VP: Union minister Pralhad Joshi

New Delhi: Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Tuesday condemned the mimicry of the presiding officer in the Rajya Sabha by Trinamool Congress (TMC) member Kalyan Banerjee as well as Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

He also slammed the Opposition over comments on the Parliament security breach. "The Speaker of the House has written a letter to Secretary Home and has instructed me to get a high-level inquiry (on security beach) done. Rahul Gandhi has been saying that unemployment is the reason why all this took place. Does he support all this? What irresponsible statement is this? They (the opposition) want to do politics in everything," news agency ANI quoted Joshi as saying.

Regarding the viral video of Banerjee, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar earlier spoke on it in the House.

"I strongly condemn the attitude of both the members, Mr Kalyan Banerjee and Mr Rahul Gandhi. Also, the overall attitude of the INDI alliance towards the vice president, who is also the esteemed chairman of this House. They have behaved in the most insulting and derogatory manner in the House. I strongly condemn it. The entire country is watching," Joshi said.

He accused the Congress of deliberately insulting President Droupadi Murmu, who hails from a tribal community.

"From day one, their party leader in the other House tried to insult her. This is happening from the beginning. This speaks of their mentality. It is a question about their mentality. Now, very senior party leaders are insulting the vice president of India," Joshi said.

He also raised the issue of Congress leader Ashok Gehlot's objection to Dhankhar's visit to Rajasthan.

"Initially, a senior Congress leader, who is a former chief minister of Rajasthan, questioned the vice president's visit to the state. The vice president is from Rajasthan. It is his home state. What is wrong with it? In a most derogatory manner, he questioned it and that too when he was travelling to the state before the Model Code of Conduct came into force. The senior Congress senior leader, the chief minister of Rajasthan at that time, insulted the vice president. Is it correct?" Joshi asked.

He said the actions of Congress leaders show that their party is against farmers, tribals, Jats and the person who holds the second-highest position in the world's largest democracy.

"Today, a drama unfolded on the Parliament premises. For this, the Congress and other members of the INDI alliance, the ghamandia (arrogant) alliance, should apologise to the chair. They tried to belittle the vice president's image. This is highly condemnable. Congress leaders have attacked the honourable prime minister because he comes from the OBC (Other Backward Classes) community. That is why their attitude is against tribals, kisan, Jats and the OBC community," Joshi said.

He said the TMC also has a similar attitude.

"I strongly condemn this. If something good prevails in you, you should apologise in this House on behalf of those members and one of the so-called senior members of the Congress," the minister said.

Later, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal also raised the issue.

He said the entire Jat community, from which Dhankhar hails, criticised the act that insulted the Rajya Sabha and the vice president, but a Congress member in the House hailing from the community did not condemn it.