News Brief
Kalyan Banerjee.
Trinamool MP Kalyan Banerjee, who had last week stirred up controversy by mimicking Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, replicated the act on Sunday (24 December).
Banerjee defended his actions by stating that mimicry is a form of expression and a fundamental right.
During an event in Sreerampur, West Bengal, Banerjee claimed he would do it a thousand times as he targeted Dhankhar.
“I will keep doing the mimicry. It is an art form. If needed, I will do it a thousand times. I have all the fundamental rights to express my views. You can put me in jail. I will not step back,” said Banerjee, Indian Express reported.
Banerjee is one of the Members of Parliament who has been suspended from the House.
At an Opposition demonstration outside the Parliament the last Tuesday, videos showed Kalyan Banerjee imitating the Rajya Sabha chairman and Vice-President Dhankhar.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was also seen recording Banerjee’s act as leaders of the Opposition protested, demanding a discussion on the Parliament security breach that took place on 13 December.
Subsequently, Dhankhar labeled the act as "disgraceful, absurd, and intolerable".
Banerjee said he didn’t intend to hurt Dhankhar when he mimicked him.
“I am a member of the Lok Sabha. I have never seen Rajya Sabha proceedings or Rajya Sabha TV. How will I be able to copy Dhankharji? I am surprised he took it personally. Does he behave like this only? This is an art and he should take it sportingly," he had said in an interview with The Indian Express.
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