The BJP, which has been basking in the glory of the passage of women's reservation bill in a special session of Parliament, has been left red-faced over the hate speech by one of its members in Parliament. The issue has given the opposition enough ammo to target the ruling party.
The saffron party, on Friday, issued a show cause notice to its Lok Sabha member Ramesh Bidhuri for his use of objectionable words against Bahujan Samaj Party MP Danish Ali in Lok Sabha during a discussion on the Chandrayaan mission's success even as some of the senior party leaders distanced themselves from the remark.
Bidhuri had used derogatory words against Ali while speaking in Lok Sabha on Thursday. These have now been expunged by Speaker Om Birla. The Speaker cautioned Bidhuri and warned of strict action if such an offence is repeated.
The saffron party has sought a reply from the South Delhi MP as to why disciplinary action should not be taken against him for his use of unparliamentary words. He will have 15 days to come up with an explanation.
Opposition targets BJP
Even as Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh expressed regret over Bidhuri's abusive outburst, the Congress condemned the remarks, terming it an "insult to all MPs and the country." Party general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the apology offered by Singh was a "mere eyewash" and not acceptable.
"It is an absolute shame what Bidhuri has said. Rajnath Singh's apology is simply not acceptable. It is a half-hearted apology, it was an afterthought. What Bidhuri has said is an insult to Parliament and makes a mockery of what the prime minister keeps repeating 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas, Sabka Sabka Vishvaas, Sabka Prayas' which becomes all 'bakwaas' (nonsense)," Ramesh told reporters.
"What Bidhuri has said is an insult to all of us. Strictest possible action should be taken against this MP. If this is not a case for suspension (then what is). Sanjay Singh and Raghav Chadha (of AAP) stand suspended for exercising their democratic right of protest inside Parliament and Mr Bidhuri has spoken in a language that is an insult not only to Danish Ali but also to every MP and every Indian," the Congress leader said.
Demanding that the MP should be suspended immediately, he said, "During the special session, the prime minister gave various speeches, saying a 'new chapter will be opened, new energy will be infused' but Ramesh Bidhuri has shown what the BJP's intention and agenda is."
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi met Ali to express his support to the BSP leader. "He said that I am not alone and everyone who is standing with democracy is standing with me," Ali said after meeting the Congress leader.
NCP MP Supriya Sule and TMC MP Aparupa Poddar wrote to the secretary-general of Lok Sabha to initiate a privilege motion against Bidhuri, while DMK MP Kanimozhi wrote to the Speaker with the same demand.
In a separate letter to the Speaker, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury demanded "stringent action as per the rules against Ramesh Bidhuri for using brazenly abusive and unparliamentary words against a Member of a leading political party, Danish Ali, who also happens to be from the minority community".
"What is even more regrettable is the fact that this unprecedented, unfortunate and unsavoury incident has happened during the Special Session of the Parliament, that has been convened to commemorate 75 years of its history and that too, during the course of the discussion to mark the success of Mission Chandrayan III," he wrote.
"Although you have warned the member Ramesh Bidhuri and expunged the uncouth words ... that were used by him against Danish Ali, the utterances of the member are all over the media... this reflects poorly on the Parliament and its sanctity. The incident also reflects the mindset against the Opposition and the minority community," he said.
Chowdhury said expunging of the remarks from the records of the House has no meaningful impact and "it would only be appropriate to have the matter examined in detail by the Privileges Committee and punitive action taken against the errant member Ramesh Bidhuri".
Danish Ali says he is considering quitting House if...
Meanwhile, Ali said he may consider quitting the House if appropriate action is not taken against Bidhuri.
He said the remarks against him were "unprecedented" and added that he has written to the Speaker over the issue.
"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 news agency PTI.
The BSP MP further said Bidhuri has shamed the entire country and demanded the BJP MP's suspension.
Asked what would he do if action was not taken against Bidhuri, Ali said, "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."
He also alleged that there was a difference between the words and actions of the BJP.
"Where is this kind of behaviour and culture taught? He (Bidhuri) is a senior MP. (PM 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," the BSP MP said.
Prasad, Harsh Vardhan distance themselves from remarks
BJP MPs Ravi Shankar Prasad and Harsh Vardhan distanced themselves from their party colleague's remarks after they came under attack for allegedly laughing at the time of the incident in the Lok Sabha.
Prasad said he does not support any indecent comment, while Harsh Vardhan alleged that some people with vested interests have "dragged" his name into the row and claimed that he could not "clearly hear" what was being said due to the "chaos" in the House at that time.
"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," Harsh Vardhan wrote on X.
In a long post on X, Harsh Vardhan wrote, "I have seen my name trending on Twitter where people have dragged me into this unfortunate incident where two MPs were using unparliamentary language against each other on the floor of the House."
"I ask my Muslim friends who are writing against me on social media today, whether they actually believe that I could ever have become party to the usage of such derogatory language that would hurt the sensibilities of any one community?" the BJP MP said.
"It is a notorious and fabricated story filled with negativity and is being used by some vested political elements on social media to tarnish my image," he claimed.
Harsh Vardhan asserted that in the 30 years of his public life, he has worked closely with "lakhs of Muslim brothers and sisters" in his constituency as well as with "colleagues" from various walks of life.
"Born and brought up in Phatak Teliyan in the historical gullies of Chandni Chowk, I have spent my childhood and grown up playing with my Muslim friends. I can state with utmost confidence and conviction that all Muslim brothers and sisters who have ever been in contact with me will vouch for my sentiments and behaviour," he said.
"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," Prasad tweeted.
—With PTI inputs
