What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
BSP MP Danish Ali, representing Uttar Pradesh’s Amroha, faced derogatory remarks targeting his religious identity from BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri in the Lok Sabha back in September. Disturbed by the incident, Ali objected on Friday to the Lok Sabha Privileges Committee’s decision to merge his complaint against Bidhuri for “communal” remarks with what he described as “concocted, baseless, and diversionary” allegations.
In a letter addressed to Speaker Om Birla, Ali protested against the move after being summoned on December 7 to provide “oral evidence” regarding complaints from various MPs against both Bidhuri and himself for alleged improper conduct during the discussion on the Chandrayaan-III Mission in a Special Session held in September.
Today I wrote a letter to the Hon’ble speaker Lok Sabha @ombirlakota regarding the notice I received from the secretariat of the privileges committee. The notice indicates a sad attempt to create a diversion by turning the victim (me) into an accused by using fabricated charges. pic.twitter.com/grD6UQm9ij
— Kunwar Danish Ali (@KDanishAli) December 1, 2023
While Ali and other Opposition MPs complained against Bidhuri for making communal remarks, BJP MPs filed complaints protesting against Ali, accusing him of using offensive language against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He criticised the attempt to turn him, the victim, into an accused and found it outrageous that the Committee of Privileges sought oral evidence against him. Ali claimed in the letter, that Bidhuri had launched a “one-sided and totally unprovoked abusive and unparliamentary attack” witnessed by the entire country through live telecast. Ali said in the letter, “The incident was one-sided and totally unprovoked abusive and unparliamentary attack on me. This was witnessed by the whole country.”
The objectionable communal remarks were reportedly removed from the Lok Sabha records, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh expressed regret inside the House.
Ali urged the Speaker to obtain video footage of Lok Sabha proceedings and circulate the transcript among panel members to expose any misinformation and clarify matters. He said, “I would like to humbly request you to get the video footage of that day’s Lok Sabha proceedings and circulate the transcript of the proceedings among members of the Committee of Privileges. This would expose the lies being propagated and help clarify matters by identifying the real culprit.”
He emphasised that the panel should strictly adhere to the records of the House and take swift action. Expressing shock over the clubbing of his complaint with Bidhuri’s alleged fabrications, Ali sought exemplary action to prevent the recurrence of such language within the sanctum sanctorum of Indian democracy.
Ali had previously written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, alleging violations of parliamentary procedures for not being called first in a complaint filed against Bidhuri for making communal slurs. This time, Ali is set to appear before the panel first, followed by Bidhuri. He also wrote to Prime Minister Modi seeking action against Bidhuri. Despite the issuance of a show-cause notice, the BJP appointed Bidhuri as a district in-charge for poll-bound Rajasthan shortly after the incident.
