President Droupadi Murmu voiced her dismay at the apparent humiliation faced by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar within the Parliament complex. The President emphasized that while elected representatives have the freedom to express themselves, such expressions should adhere to the established norms of dignity and courtesy, maintaining the proud parliamentary tradition. Her comments followed the derisive mimicking of Vice President Dhankhar by Trinamul Congress leader Kalyan Banerjee during the Opposition’s protest against the suspension of several Members of Parliament.
President Murmu stated, “I was dismayed to see the manner in which our respected Vice President was humiliated in the Parliament complex. Elected representatives must be free to express themselves, but their expression should be within the norms of dignity and courtesy. That has been the Parliamentary tradition we are proud of, and the People of India expect them to uphold it.”
However, it is noteworthy that President Murmu did not comment on the alleged involvement of BJP MP Pratap Simha in the chaos that unfolded during the Winter Session of Parliament on the 22nd anniversary of the 2001 attack on India’s Parliament. The disruption involved four individuals releasing colored smoke canisters and chanting slogans against dictatorship, causing panic among MPs.
Reports suggest that the visitor passes used by the intruders were issued in the name of BJP MP Pratap Simha from Mysuru, Karnataka. Simha, known for his admiration for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had allegedly authorized three passes, allowing the intruders access to the Lok Sabha. One of the intruders, Manoranjan D, reportedly frequented Simha’s office, and Sagar Sharma, another intruder, was introduced to Simha by Manoranjan D.
Despite the controversy surrounding the issuance of the visitor’s pass and the alleged involvement of BJP MP Pratap Simha in the chaos, President Murmu has maintained silence on this aspect.
The Winter Session has seen a total of 141 Members of Parliament facing action for unruly behavior, with 49 more opposition lawmakers being suspended from Lok Sabha on Tuesday. The incidents have raised concerns about the maintenance of parliamentary decorum and security within the legislative premises.
