Banerjee had on Tuesday mimicked Rajya Sabha Chairperson Jagdeep Dhankhar during a protest of opposition MPs against the suspension of a large number of their colleagues.
Senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh on Wednesday flayed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee for "insulting" the Rajya Sabha chairperson in a shameful manner and condemned their actions as a blot on India's democratic traditions.
In a strongly worded post on X, the defence minister said respect for those holding constitutional positions is the life force of democracy. "But the way political opposition is being turned into animosity to devalue Parliament's dignity in such a low manner is a matter of concern for the entire political class," he said, condemning the incident.
Banerjee had on Tuesday mimicked Rajya Sabha Chairperson Jagdeep Dhankhar during a protest of opposition MPs against the suspension of a large number of their colleagues. Gandhi was seen filming the incident.
Dhankhar claimed that it was an insult to his background as a Jat, his caste, who came from a farmer's family. The BJP has echoed the view and accused the opposition of have a demeaning view of the OBCs (Other Backward Classes) and those from underprivileged background.
Singh said, "The shameful manner in which the Vice President of India and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha Jagdeep Dhankhar has been insulted by Trinamool Congress leader Kalyan Banerjee and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is a blot on India's democratic traditions."