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A video of Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Kalyan Banerjee mocking the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) poll slogan 'abki baar 400 paar' in the Lok Sabha went viral on Tuesday, July 2. The incident has sparked a political controversy, highlighting the escalating tensions between the two parties.
Banerjee's mocking remark, delivered in the Lok Sabha, was a direct jab at the BJP's ambitious goal of winning over 400 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. He compared the slogan to a popular children's game called 'chu-kit-kit,' played in West Bengal. This comparison, intended as a humorous insult, drew laughter from TMC MPs, including Mahua Moitra and first-time MP Saayoni Ghosh.
Banerjee's description of the game involved drawing nine squares inside a large triangle, where players must strike a stone while ensuring their other leg does not touch the ground. The game is played with the players loudly saying 'chu' followed by 'kit-kit' pronounced in a slower tone. His playful comparison was clearly meant to belittle the BJP's ambitious electoral target.
However, Banerjee's actions did not go down well with the BJP. They accused him of disrespecting the Lok Sabha and the constitutional positions. The BJP spokesperson, Shehzad Poonwala, took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his outrage, stating that Banerjee's comments were “atrocious and disgusting.” He pointed out that Banerjee had also mocked the posture of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar in December 2023, during an Opposition protest.
Poonwala went on to criticize the TMC's overall behavior in the Parliament, accusing them of mocking Hindus and constitutional positions. He highlighted the incident involving TMC MLA defending a man who flogged a woman, claiming that the victim was characterless and that such flogging was acceptable in a Muslim-majority nation. He also questioned TMC's silence on other issues like the Sandeshkhali incident.
The controversy surrounding Banerjee's remarks underscores the increasingly polarized political climate in India. While the TMC MP argues that his actions were a form of expression and dissent, the BJP sees it as a blatant disrespect to the House and constitutional authority. The incident also reflects the growing tensions between the BJP and TMC, who have been at loggerheads over various issues in recent years.
The episode highlights the delicate balance between freedom of speech and respecting the sanctity of institutions. Banerjee's actions, while seemingly harmless in the context of political banter, have ignited a firestorm of criticism, raising concerns about the conduct of MPs and the overall decorum of the Lok Sabha. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of responsible political discourse and upholding the dignity of democratic institutions.
Source: Viral video: TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee's ‘chu-kit-kit’ jibe at BJP's ‘400 paar’ slogan