NEW DELHI: The Mamata All India Trinamool Congress on Sunday defended Rahul Gandhi over his mimicry of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Congress leader’s recent ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ programme in Indore, saying that “humour should have a place in politics.”The party’s senior Lok Sabha MP Saugata Roy said Rahul Gandhi only repeated what PM Modi himself said.“No insult has been made. What Prime Minister Modi said has merely been repeated; this is not an insult to anyone. There should be room for humour in politics…” Roy told news agency ANI.
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His remarks come amid signs of fresh bonhomie between the Congress and the Mamata All India Trinamool Congress. On Friday, former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who heads this faction of the TMC, announced that her party would support the Congress candidate in the upcoming Nandigram byelection. The Nandigram seat was vacated by chief minister Suvendu Adhikari, who retained Mamata Banerjee’s Bhowanipore stronghold, where he defeated her in the West Bengal assembly elections in April.However, shortly after Mamata Banerjee’s announcement, Congress’ Nandigram candidate, Milan Pradhan, was arrested in connection with a 2007 case. Pradhan has been sent to judicial custody till October 3.On Saturday, Rahul Gandhi participated in the Indore leg of his “Chhatron Ki Goonj” student interaction programme, sharing the stage with stand-up comedian Pulkit Mani. During the event, the Lok Sabha LoP’s remarks and mimicked gestures drew criticism from BJP leaders, who alleged that PM Modi and his late mother were mocked.