Why no discussion on MPs being thrown out of Parliament: Rahul Gandhi

A huge political row broke out after TMC leader Kalyan Banerjee derisively mimicked Dhankhar during the opposition's protest on the stairs of Parliament on Tuesday, and Rahul Gandhi was seen making a video of the performance by Banerjee.

New Delhi: With President Droupadi Murmu as well as the BJP wading into the row over a Trinamool Congress MP mimicking Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, top Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said that there is no discussion on unemployment or Adani or Rafale issues but there is only one on the "mimicry".

Rahul's name was also dragged into the controversy as he was seen videographing Kalyan Banerjee mimicking Dhankhar at the Parliament complex when suspended MPs were holding a protest.

Asked about him making the video and claims about the Vice President being insulted, he said, "Who insulted and how? MPs were sitting there, I took their video which remains on my phone. The media continues to show it and is making remarks, Modi ji is making remarks, nobody has said anything."

"Our 150 MPs have been thrown out and there is no discussion about that in the media... no discussion on Adani and on Rafale. France has said that investigation is not being allowed. There is no discussion on that, there is no discussion on unemployment, our MPs are sad, sitting there, you are discussing that," he said while urging the media to "show some news".

The BJP has been attacking the Congress and Rahul inside and outside the Parliament in connection with the incident.

Hitting back at the BJP, Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh shared a video of Prime Minister Narendra Modi from August 10, 2017 during farewell to then Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari.

"It was then most shocking that the Prime Minister mocked Mr. Ansari, one of India's most distinguished diplomats, reducing his identity to his religion and in effect alleging that his entire professional and political achievements were because of his religious identity. The Prime Minister pretty much sang the same song in the evening farewell function in Parliament Library auditorium as well," he said.

"Such a petty PM and his drum-beaters talking of insults being heaped at Constitutional authorities are hypocrites and opportunists of the worst kind. This is nothing but an absolutely pathetic attempt to divert attention from the undemocratic suspension of 144 MPs from Parliament and the shocking security breach in Lok Sabha on December 13," he said on X.

In another post, he said, "The entire Modi ecosystem is now being galvanised on the so-called mimicry non-issue, while it remains silent on the real issue of why and how a BJP MP from Mysuru facilitated entry of two intruders into Lok Sabha on December 13 who are now charged under the anti-terror law UAPA."

"The entire ecosystem is also silent on the summary suspension of 142 MPs for making a perfectly legitimate demand," he added. The total number of I.N.D.I.A MPs suspended has risen to 144, including AAP's Sanjay Singh who remains suspended since the Monsoon Session.