Not meant to be disrespectful: Mamata on Dhankhar's mimicry by party MP

New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Wednesday played down the issue of Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar's mimicry by her party's MP, saying it was not meant to be disrespectful.

In the eye of the storm over the mimicry row, Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee also said that he never had any intention to hurt or disrespect Dhankhar.

Asked about the mimicry row, Mamata said, "We respect everyone. It was not disrespectful. It was just politically, casually... You would not even have known it if Rahul ji had not recorded it."

The West Bengal Chief Minister was in the Parliament complex on Wednesday to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi over pending central funds for the state.

Kalyan said that he did not intend to hurt anyone but did not offer any apology for the mimicry act which has been described by Dhankhar as an insult to the post of vice-president, the farmers and his own community.

"Mimicry is not an offence, they (BJP) are trying to change the main issue which is whether suspension of opposition MPs was right," the TMC MP said and claimed that even Modi has done it in the past.

"Did not have any intention at all to hurt anyone, including the Vice President. Have respect for constitutional positions," he said on Wednesday.

Kalyan said that he might have some differences with Dhankhar over a few issues, but he meant no disrespect for him. He noted that Dhankhar had been a governor of his home state West Bengal and like him a lawyer.

With 141 opposition MPs suspended from Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha for disrupting proceedings, many of them held a protest at Parliament's main entrance for lawmakers on Tuesday.

During the protest, Kalyan mimicked Dhankhar's mannerisms amid cheers from his colleagues. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was seen shooting a video of the act with his mobile phone.