The Lok Sabha Secretariat on Thursday notified a Privileges Committee to examine all the complaints, including the one filed by BJP leader Nishikant Dubey, regarding BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri’s unparliamentary remarks against Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MP Kunwar Danish Ali in the new Parliament building during a debate on Chandrayaan 3’s success.
On September 21, BJP MP from South Delhi, Ramesh Bidhuri, had used racial slurs against BSP’s Danish Ali in the Lok Sabha. Bidhuri’s remarks sparked massive outrage and criticism from the Opposition parties, who sought his suspension from the house.
Four Opposition parties and Ali wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla requesting him to refer the matter to the Parliament’s Privileges Committee. The remarks were immediately expunged from records, and Speaker Birla reportedly warned the BJP MP of “strict action” if he repeated his actions.
The development has come a day after Bidhuri was appointed as BJP’s campaign in-charge of Rajasthan’s Gurjar-majority Tonk district. The Opposition slammed the BJP for “rewarding hate” against Muslims and questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Sneha Yatra” program to outreach minority communities.
“Knew it! Ramesh Bidhuri rewarded for calling Muslim MP ‘Bhadwa’ & ‘Katwa’ in Lok Sabha. How does a showcaused person be given a new role by BJP? Narendra Modi ji – is this your Sneha Yatra for minorities, your love outreach?” Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra wrote on Koo, formerly known as Twitter.
Congress leader Jayram Ramesh replied to Moitra’s post and said that PM Modi’s “Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas” is a gimmick.
Tonk in Rajasthan is a Gurjar-dominated area, and the BJP is banking on Bidhuri, a Gurjar himself, to accumulate his community’s votes in the party’s favour. However, the district also has nearly 11 per cent Muslim population, according to the 2011 census. Congress leader Sachin Pilot, also a Gurjar leader, is the sitting MLA from Tonk constituency.