In the midst of the ongoing issue surrounding BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri’s remarks directed towards Danish Ali, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi met Bahujan Samaj Party MP Danish Ali on Friday. After meeting the BSP MP, Rahul Gandhi said, “Nafrat ke bazaar mein mohabbat ki dukan.” The Muslim MP was insulted by Bidhuri in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, and the Congress asked that Bidhuri be punished. Danish Ali, meanwhile, filed a privilege motion against Bidhuri and threatened to resign from Parliament if Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla did not take action. The Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, the opposition group, does not include the BSP. “He 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…” Danish Ali said on his meeting with Rahul Gandhi.
“I am hopeful that the Speaker will take action against this. But if that does not happen I will consider leaving Parliament with a heavy heart because people have not sent me to Parliament to listen to hate speech…Does one get to learn such language at RSS shakhas?” Danish Ali said.
Adhir Chowdhury, a leader for the Congress in the Lok Sabha, wrote to Om Birla about the incident and claimed that such language was never used against a member of a minority community in the history of Parliament, let alone in front of the Speaker. “….expunging the remarks from the records of the House has no meaningful impact. Considering the circumstances and the brazen violation of all norms and rules relating to the functioning of the House, 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,” Adhir wrote.
Danish Ali claimed that what Bidhuri termed him in the Lok Sabha was merely a hate remark. “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,” the BSP MP said. In a lengthy statement separating himself from the incident, Harsh Vardhan claims that despite being present, he was unable to understand what was being said. Ravi Shankar Prasad further declared that he opposes any lewd remarks.
