Bhubaneswar: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) came in support of the Rajya Sabha Chairman and Vice President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar, who mimicked Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee in presence of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and many opposition MPs.
Taking it to X, BJD leader in Rajya Sabha, Sasmit Patra said, “The Constitutional position of Hon’ble Chairman Rajya Sabha and Vice President of India is a revered institution which upholds Constitutional and Parliamentary richness of India. It’s extremely sad and unfortunate that such a mimicry of him and his position has been done and he has been humiliated.”
Belittling of institutions and Constitutional authorities is unacceptable and what has been done is completely wrong, he said.
Similarly, senior RS Member Amar Patnaik said he stood in the Rajya Sabha in support of the Vice President of India who has been subjected to humiliation by some of my colleagues.
“Saddened that this happened within the precincts of the Parliament. While expressing ourselves freely, we as public representatives also have a responsibility to adhere to the highest standards of decency and civility in public life and more so in the Parliament,” he said.
The RS Chairman, who is the Vice-President of India is not just a person occupying that chair, but is the second highest constitutional authority of the country, Shri Patnaik said, adding, “We can’t belittle this Chair and the Authority in any manner as it would reflect adversely on our Parliament as well as democracy. Let’s uphold the parliamentary tradition we’re proud of, and what the People of India rightfully expect us to do.”
Earlier in the day, President Droupadi Murmu expressed her dismay at the manner in which Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar was “humiliated” in the Parliament complex. She stressed that the elected representatives must be free to express themselves, but their expression should be within the “norms of dignity and courtesy.”
“I was dismayed to see the manner in which our respected Vice President was humiliated in the Parliament complex. Elected representatives must be free to express themselves, but their expression should be within the norms of dignity and courtesy. That has been the Parliamentary tradition we are proud of, and the People of India expect them to uphold it,” the President posted on her official social media handle.
