Row over 'video shooting' by Rahul Gandhi and mimicry by TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee is far from over :: "I am insulted like this for last 20 years," Modi tells VP Dhankhar

** Political highlight:

Prime Minister's Office tweets, "CM of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee along with a delegation of MPs called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi"

On meeting the PM over funds due to the state, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee says, "The PM listened to our concerns carefully. He said that a meeting between officers from the State and Centre should take place, a decision should be taken and the money should be given (to the state) at the earliest."

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla called on Vice President and Chairman Rajya Sabha, Jagdeep Dhankhar, and expressed deep concerns and anguish over the mimicry episode. 

"Conveyed my deep concerns and anguish @VPIndia and Hon'ble Chairman, Rajya Sabha about serious misdemeanor by Hon'ble MPs in Parliament complex demeaning and denigrating the constitutional office of Vice President," Birla tweeted.  

"It is shocking that one MP chose to amplify this ignoble act by video graphing. This is a new low and no one believing in democracy will ever appreciate it," Birla wrote. 

President Droupadi Murmu in a tweet said: 

"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."  

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, Dec 20, held a telephonic talk with the Vice President on the issue and told him that he (Modi) is subjected to such insults for last 20 years.

 

"Received a telephone call from the Prime Minister, Shri @narendramodi Ji. He expressed great pain over the abject theatrics of some Honourable MPs and that too in the sacred Parliament complex yesterday. 

He told me that he has been at the receiving end of such insults for twenty years and counting but the fact that it could happen to a Constitutional office like the Vice President of India and that too in the Parliament was unfortunate," Mr Dhankhar tweeted. 

The Vice President told the Prime Minister that "...the antics of a few won’t prevent me (Dhankhar) from performing my duty and upholding the principles enshrined in our Constitution."

"I am committed to those values from the bottom of my heart. None of the insults will make me change my path," the Vice President wrote on the micro blogging site X.  

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh flayed the government and the 'eco system' of BJP.

"The entire Modi ecosystem 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 13th — 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 posted.   

On Parliament security breach incident, LoP Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge asks, "Has the PM boycotted the House that he is not coming and making a statement in the House?"

Jat community holds protest in support of Vice President of India and Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar. 

Sukhchain Singh, a member of the Jat community says, “Ever since the video went viral (of TMC MP mimicking Vice President Dhankar) we saw how being born in a farmer family, our Vice president was mocked by the TMC MP and MPs around him were enjoying the show… This is an insult to the farmers of our country… We belong to the clan which does not forget its enemies for seven generations, and we will definitely take revenge if all of them do not apologise to the Vice President.”