No 'cultured mind' to understand mimicry: TMC MP on Dhankhar
Suspended Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Kalyan Banerjee on Monday defended his mimicry of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, arguing he can't help if someone lacks a "cultured mind" to appreciate humor. Banerjee triggered a political storm last week after impersonating Rajya Sabha Chairman Dhankhar on Parliament premises following unprecedented opposition MP suspensions. Speaking in his Serampore constituency in West Bengal, Banerjee claimed Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the first to perform mimicry in Lok Sabha, but Dhankhar had no objections then.
Why does this story matter?
On December 19, video clips of Banerjee mimicking Dhankhar were broadcast on television channels and shared on social media. Soon after, Dhankhar slammed the act in Rajya Sabha, labeling it "ridiculous, shameful, and unacceptable." Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was seen recording Banerjee's act on his phone. Dhankhar later remarked that he was a "sufferer" despite holding one of the highest public offices in the country. The vice president also claimed that he was being targeted because of his Jat background.
Banerjee mimics Dhankhar again
During his latest public address, Banerjee indirectly addressed Dhankhar's criticism of his act. "If someone does not understand art, what can I do? If someone does not understand humor, if someone does not have a cultured mind, if someone identifies himself as the target, I am helpless," he said. He questioned why Dhankhar assumed he was imitating him. Banerjee also compared the vice president to a child complaining to his mother about getting mimicked, proceeding to impersonate a child.
Watch: Kalyan Banerjee mimicks VP Dhankhar again
Banerjee challenges Dhankhar's claim of being farmer's son
On Dhankhar's claim that he was insulted as a farmer's son from the Jat community, Banerjee challenged him to disclose how many days he had worked in a field. "You wear a suit worth Rs. 20 lakh. Many Indian farmers can't even afford a blanket this winter," he said. Bringing up Dhankhar's career as a lawyer, Banerjee further questioned if he had ever fought a case for farmers. "I have fought cases for the poor for 40 years," he added.
Dhankhar accused of trying to impress PM Modi
Banerjee accused Dhankhar of trying to flatter PM Modi by suppressing opposition voices and praising him as the "Mahapurush (noble personality)" of this century. He questioned Dhankhar's stance on wrestlers' protests against Bharatiya Janata Party (MP) Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh—the former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief accused of sexual harassment. He indirectly stated that despite being a Jat, Dhankhar did not support wrestlers—the majority of whom are Jats—in their battle. Banerjee asked, "You didn't speak a word, why?"
