Derogatory remarks made by BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri in the Lok Sabha on Friday ignited a storm of controversy with BSP MP Danish Ali saying he is considering quitting the house if appropriate action is not taken. The exchange unfolded during a discussion in the Lok Sabha regarding the successful Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission. Ali expressed his discontent, stating that the people who elected him did not send him to Parliament to endure "hate speeches". Bidhuri's comments, which Ali has categorically described as hate speech, have prompted the Opposition to unite and demand action against the BJP MP.
BSP MP Meets Rahul Gandhi As Opposition Unites To Demand Action Against BJP MP — Key Points:
- Danish Ali emphasised that the derogatory remarks constituted hate speech and called for Bidhuri's suspension. "This is nothing less than hate speech. This is hate speech on the floor of the House. Hate speeches were being made outside Parliament but now hate speech has been delivered on the floor of the House by a BJP MP," he told PTI.
"Where is this kind of behaviour and culture taught? He (Bidhuri) is a senior MP. (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi ji's two former cabinet colleagues, senior parliamentarians Ravi Shankar Prasad and Harsh Vardhan, were laughing and thumping desks. This behaviour of the BJP has been witnessed by people in new India's new Parliament's first special session," he remarked.
- The BSP MP expressed his disappointment, stating that he might consider resigning from the House if no action is taken against Bidhuri, "I expect that the speaker will take action on this. But if action is not taken, then with a heavy heart, I can consider quitting the membership of this House because people have not sent me to Parliament to listen to hate speeches."
- Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla took note of the incident, warning Bidhuri of strict consequences if such behavior is repeated, PTI reported officials as saying. Union Minister Rajnath Singh expressed regret for Bidhuri's remarks, which were later expunged from the parliamentary records, as per PTI.
- Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and K C Venugopal visited Danish Ali's Delhi residence to express solidarity. "Nafrat ke bazaar mein mohabbat ki dukaan," Rahul Gandhi said after the meeting. Danish Ali told the media, “He (Rahul Gandhi) came here to keep my morale high and to extend his support. He said that I am not alone and everyone who is standing with democracy is standing with me.”.
- Opposition parties have rallied behind Danish Ali with the Congress, TMC, DMK, and NCP demanding the matter be referred to the privileges committee of the House and insisting on Bidhuri's suspension. Leader of Congress party in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla demanding stringent action in accordance with the rules against Ramesh Bidhuri for using "brazenly abusive and unparliamentary language against Danish Ali, a member of a major political party who also happens to be a member of a minority community."
NCP MP Supriya Sule and TMC MP Aparupa Poddar wrote a letter to the Secretary-General of the Lok Sabha demanding that a privilege motion to be initiated against Lok Sabha BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri for making unparliamentary statements against BSP MP Kunwar Danish Ali. Kanimozhi, a DMK MP, also wrote to the Lok Sabha Speaker to request a privilege motion.
- BSP supremo Mayawati criticised the BJP for not taking appropriate action against Bidhuri despite the speaker's warnings.
BJP MPs Harsh Vardhan and Ravi Shankar Prasad, criticised for laughing during Bidhuri's remarks, distanced themselves from the incident.
While Ravi Shankar Prasad said he does not support any derogatory remark, Harsh Vardhan claimed that some people with vested interests had "dragged" his name into the controversy and said that he could not "clearly hear" what was being said due to "chaos" in the House at the time.
Taking to X, Harsh Vardhan wrote, “While I was no doubt witness to the jugglery of words being thrown at each other (which in fact the entire House was), the truth of the matter is that in the chaos that existed, I could not clearly hear what was being said.”
Ravi Shankar Prasad posted, “We have always supported dignified conduct inside and outside Parliament and I myself also follow it. I do not support any comment which is indecent.”
Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra condemned the abuse, saying "Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla always talks about the decorum of the House. Entire India listens to his dialogues. He interrupts us so many times, 'No sit down'. When Bidhuri can stand there and hurl abuses, this is hate speech. This was not unparliamentary".
"I called him 'harami', that can be unparliamentary. Calling someone an "idiot" and "thief" can be unparliamentary. But the words used (by Bidhuri) cannot shown on TV and those words were uttered in Lok Sabha. Does Om Birl need a letter from Mahua Moitra to tell him the right thing to do? Why is he sitting on the Chair? He will never take an action," she told PTI.
The CPI(M) called for Bidhuri's arrest, asserting that no privilege should be granted for hate speech.
- The BJP leadership issued a show cause notice to its Lok Sabha member Ramesh Bidhuri for his use of objectionable words, PTI reported sources as saying. The BJP sources were reported saying that the party has sought a reply from the South Delhi MP asking why disciplinary action should not be taken against him.
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