In the midst of a controversy surrounding the mimicry of Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairperson Jagdeep Dhankhar, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge stated on Wednesday that caste should not be brought into every issue. He questioned whether he should highlight his Dalit origins each time he is denied the opportunity to speak in the Rajya Sabha.
The political dispute emerged on Tuesday when a video clip went viral, showing Trinamool Congress leader Kalyan Banerjee impersonating the Rajya Sabha Chairperson, surrounded by other Opposition leaders. Dhankhar condemned the mimicry as “shameful, ridiculous, and unacceptable,” interpreting it as an insult to his background as a farmer and ‘Jat’ (his caste). Kharge, addressing reporters, criticized Dhankhar, stating that the Chairperson’s role is to protect other members, and questioned if he should attribute his inability to speak to his Dalit identity.
Dhankhar asserted that he will not tolerate any insult to Parliament and the vice president’s post, expressing deep anguish over the mimicry incident. Rahul Gandhi denied sharing the mimicry clip, emphasizing that the video remains on his phone. Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury decried the situation, describing it as a “very sad day for the country” when constitutional positions involve discussions about caste. He criticized the government for deflecting attention from the Parliament security breach issue.
Chowdhury questioned whether everyone should now wear labels declaring their caste. The ruling BJP condemned the action, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing pain at the “abject theatrics” of some MPs during a call with Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar. President Murmu also expressed dismay at the humiliation of the respected Vice President.
