No discussion taking place on suspension of 150 MPs but on mimicry row: Rahul Gandhi

Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday broke his silence on the mimicry row, saying he shot the video of the 150 MPs thrown out of Parliament and there is no discussion on that, including some other important issues.

Rahul Gandhi made the comments when he arrived at the party headquarters for the meeting with the party's Odisha and West Bengal leaders to discuss poll preparedness.

Speaking to the media over the mimicry row, Rahul Gandhi said, "Who insulted whom and how? The MPs were sitting there (at Parliament Makar Dwar), I shot their video. My video is on my phone. The media is showing it and the media is saying it and (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi is saying it."

When asked if someone spoke about caste and farmers, the Wayanad MP said, "Nobody has said anything."

He added, "There are 150 MPs who have been suspended from the House but there is no discussion on that in the media. You have thrown them out of the Parliament and there is no discussion on that."

He said that on Rafale, France has said that investigation is not being allowed. “There is no discussion on unemployment. Our MPs are disheartened and sitting outside. It is your responsibility to show some news. If you follow one line, then what can one say? But you are discussing that (mimicry)," he added.

A massive row erupted on Tuesday after Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee during the protest with other suspended MPs at Parliament's Makar Dwar was seen mimicking Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar while Rahul Gandhi was purportedly seen filming the MP using his mobile phone.

On Tuesday, Dhankhar expressed disapproval at the Trinamool Congress' suspended MP mocking him during a protest on Parliament premises, saying that the mimicry is “ridiculous” and “unacceptable.” Even earlier in the day, President Droupadi Murmu and the Prime Minister criticised the behaviour of the suspended MPs for mocking and mimicking Dhankhar.

Since December 14, at least 143 MPs from Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have been suspended for the remainder of the session. The Opposition MPs have been demanding a detailed statement in both the Houses on the December 13 Parliament security breach from Home Minister Amit Shah.

On the 21st anniversary of the 2001 Parliament attack, two people jumped from the visitors’ gallery and spread yellow coloured smoke in the House during Zero Hour. The Delhi Police has arrested six people in connection with the case.