"Great Gesture": Vice President Praised By Trinamool MP Who Mimicked Him

TMC leader Kalyan Banerjee on Friday lauded Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar's "great gesture" of wishing him on his birthday, days after the MP's mimicry of the Rajya Sabha chairman snowballed into a political storm.

Mr Banerjee also stressed the importance of moving forward, leaving behind past misunderstandings.

"It is indeed a great effort and gesture by the Honourable Vice President to wish me on my birthday. I am truly overwhelmed that he spoke to me and my wife and invited us for dinner at his place," Mr Banerjee, who turned 67 on Thursday, told Press Trust of India.

"Life must always move on, leaving behind past misunderstandings," the Srirampore MP said, when asked if Mr Dhankhar's gesture could improve relations between the two.

The Trinamool Congress MP had also expressed gratitude to Mr Dhankhar on social media on Thursday for his birthday greetings.

Controversy erupted last month after Mr Banerjee mimicked Mr Dhankhar during an opposition protest on the Parliament stairs, detesting the suspension of over 140 MPs. The act was video-recorded by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

Mr Banerjee's actions drew strong condemnation from the BJP.

Mr Dhankhar, who is also a senior advocate, had then said in the House that he would not tolerate any disrespect to Parliament or the constitutional post of the Vice President.

Mr Banerjee later asserted that mimicry is a form of expression, and the right to dissent and protest is a fundamental right.
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)