"Sufferer, Enduring Insults, In Service Of Bharat Mata": Jagdeep Dhankhar Over Mimicry Row

Today (24 December), Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar characterised himself as a "victim" who continually has to tolerate "insults". This comes after a recent controversy involving a parliamentarian's mimicry of him.

Dhankhar, the chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, was speaking to the present group of Indian Statistical Service (ISS) probationers at his official home, NDTV reported.

"I am a sufferer! A sufferer knows how to withstand from within, taking all upfront, enduring all insults, with one direction - we are in the service of our Bharat Mata," he said at the event.

The VP advised the trainees to develop resilience towards criticism, noting that even he, despite occupying a constitutional position, is not exempt from it.

"Even in my constitutional position as Chairman, Rajya Sabha and Vice-President, people don't spare me! Should that change my mindset? Should that result in deviation of my path? No! On the path of righteousness, we must always proceed," he added.

The VP further stated, never let individuals with a weak digestive system for our progress discourage you, referring to such individuals as "chronic critics".

Previously, Dhankhar characterised Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee's parody act as a "personal attack". In his honour, the ruling alliance even stood in parliament for an hour.

Dhankhar had mentioned that Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself had called him, expressing that he has been the target of such insults for two decades.

Despite severe criticism from the BJP, both Trinamool and Banerjee stood their ground, asserting that "mimicry is an art" and it was unrelated to Dhankhar.

Before his appointment as the Vice President of the country, Dhankhar had a contentious relationship with the Trinamool during his tenure as the Governor of West Bengal.