An abortive meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology, which had intended to discuss the Pegasus scandal, continues to be in the headlines.
The meeting, scheduled for Wednesday, was postponed after BJP MPs refused to mark their attendance, alleging the Congress was not discussing the Pegasus issue in Parliament.
However, the subject of the meeting itself was not the only reason it remained in the news. On Wednesday, BJP MP and panel member Nishikant Dubey alleged that fellow member Mahua Moitra, a TMC MP, had called him a 'Bihari gunda' during the meeting. Dubey represents Godda, a constituency in Jharkhand, in the Lok Sabha.
Dubey alleged that the purportedly abusive language by Moitra showed the "TMC's hatred towards north Indians".
Dubey tweeted in Hindi, "Trinamool has abused the entire Hindi-speaking people along with Bihar by using the word 'Bihari Gunda', @MamataOfficial Yes, this abuse of… Mahua Moitra has brought your party's hatred towards North Indians and especially Hindi-speaking people in front of the country."
Dubey alleged Mahua Moitra referred to him as Bihari Gunda thrice in the meeting. Moitra retorted on Twitter that the meeting itself did not happen. She tweeted, "Am a bit amused by charges of name-calling. IT mtng did not happen because NO quorum - members did not attend. How can I call someone a name who was not even present!! Check attendance sheet!"
However, Dubey did not let go of the issue. On Thursday, he targeted TMC chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Dubey tweeted, "Mamata Banerjee... Ji's hatred towards Hindi-speaking people was exposed. Hindi speakers will avenge this insult... the situation in Bengal can be understood when the MP is being threatened in Delhi."
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BJP MPs such as Ravi Kishan and Manoj Tiwari tweeted in support of Dubey. Tiwari tweeted, "You have hurt the hearts of crores of innocent people by calling him a goon.. This insult will be remembered."
During the recent Assembly poll campaign, Mamata Banerjee had accused the BJP of bringing in activists from north India.