New Delhi, July 30 — Trinamool Congress MP, Kalyan Banerjee, on Thursday staged a protest on the Parliament premises against 20 rebel party MPs who recently broke away from the party. Wearing posters around his neck carrying photographs of the dissident lawmakers, Banerjee described them as 'traitors' and accused them of betraying the mandate given by the people of West Bengal.

Speaking to IANS, Banerjee said, “The people of this country will see them. The people of West Bengal will see the faces of these 20 traitors.”

The Trinamool leader also reacted to his suspension from the ongoing Parliament session, alleging that the action was politically motivated.

“I have been suspended because hearing my voice would cause discomfort to the 20 traitors present there. These allegations against me are false. I do not know what crime I have committed,” he said.

Questioning the manner in which the action was taken against him, Banerjee added, “Whatever I have done, there has been no hearing. The Speaker has the power and is exercising it. It is okay.”

During the protest, Banerjee was also seen exchanging remarks with Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, leading to a brief but notable conversation on the relationship between the Congress and the Trinamool Congress later on.

Standing near the Parliament complex, Priyanka Gandhi appeared to examine the posters hanging around Banerjee’s neck. Pointing towards the display, she asked whether the same images were printed on the back as well.

“Yes,” Banerjee replied.

“Turn around and show them,” Gandhi said, gesturing towards the group of photojournalists gathered nearby.

“They have come for you. I am done,” Banerjee said.

As he was leaving, Kalyan Banerjee also praised Priyanka Gandhi for her speech in Parliament.

“You spoke very well yesterday,” Banerjee said, giving her a thumbs-up.

“Thank you,” she replied.

When reporters asked Banerjee what the posters represented, he said, “The photographs of 20 traitors,” referring to the rebel Trinamool MPs whose pictures appeared on both sides of the placards.

According to Banerjee, at least 20 of the 28 Trinamool Congress members in the Lok Sabha have formed a separate group under the leadership of MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar. The MPs have reportedly aligned themselves with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) and expressed support for the NDA. It is these leaders whom the Trinamool Congress has labelled as “gaddar” (traitors).

The list of rebel MPs includes Sudip Bandyopadhyay, Rachna Banerjee, Jagadish Chandra Barma, Partha Bhowmick, Arup Chakraborty, Deepak Adhikari, Sayani Ghosh, Bapi Haldar, Abu Taher Khan, Kalipada Saren Kherwal, Asit Kumar, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, among others.

Referring to the rebel lawmakers, Banerjee said, “They are right here inside Parliament.”

When asked what action should be taken against them, he said, “This should be treated as a case of defection. A defection petition has already been filed. It has been five weeks, yet nothing has happened. But then again, anything goes under BJP rule.”

The conversation soon broadened into a discussion on the political history between the Congress and the Trinamool Congress.

Priyanka Gandhi remarked that some MPs had left the Congress, joined the Trinamool Congress, and later moved to the BJP.

Responding to her, Banerjee said, “Those people won on our ticket. Your leaders had left your fold long ago. You had no presence in Bengal then, and you still do not have much presence there. That is why they never entered Parliament on a Congress ticket.”

Independent MP Pappu Yadav joined the discussion, saying, “Still, Congress is there.”

Banerjee then recalled his own association with the Congress. “I was also in the Congress. I served as the Vice President of the Youth Congress. You people drove Mamata Banerjee away. Had that not happened, Congress would not be in its present condition. She was forced out in 1997,” he said.

Priyanka Gandhi responded by saying that Mamata Banerjee had been treated with respect in the Congress.

“Rajiv Gandhi ji respected Mamata Banerjee ji a lot,” she said.

Banerjee agreed, adding, “I know. Rajiv ji liked Didi very much and respected her. But later, Congress aligned with the CPM, against whom we were fighting.”

After a brief exchange, Priyanka Gandhi left the spot along with other Congress MPs. Banerjee, still wearing the posters around his neck, continued interacting with reporters, reiterating his criticism of the rebel lawmakers and accusing them of betraying the party and its supporters.

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