Urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to issue a public statement against the derogatory comments made by the BJP’s Ramesh Bidhuri, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MP Danish Ali sought “suitable punishment” against the BJP MP. In a letter to Mr. Modi written on September 29, he also sought enhanced security in the wake of escalating threats.
Mr. Ali expressed grave concern as a Member of Parliament over the “shameful events” that occurred on the floor of the House, and called on the Prime Minister to take note of it as the Leader of the House. He said that it was not just an attack on him as an individual, but an attack on the “very essence of democracy”.
“A public statement from your office condemning such behaviour and reaffirming your commitment towards maintaining highest standards of parliamentary proceedings would go a long way in reassuring the entire country,”Mr. Ali said while releasing the letter at a press conference.
Though the matter has been referred to the Privileges Committee by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, the BSP MP said that there has been no sign of action so far, and expressed surprised at Mr. Modi’s “silence”.
‘Inappropriate language’
Noting that Mr. Modi was not present in the House at the time, the BSP member claimed that Mr. Bidhuri had used “inappropriate” language while referring to the Prime Minister in his speech.
“I raised an objection to the use of such language in relation to the Prime Minister, even if it was in a quotation. It is evident from the House proceedings that none of the members from the ruling party objected to my stance against the use of unparliamentary language directed at you,” Mr. Ali said.
“However, when I rose and pointed out Bidhuri’s use of unparliamentary language towards you, he got rattled and reacted strongly, possibly realising his mistake. He began making highly offensive attacks against me on the floor of the House to divert the attention of the House,” he added.
Threats to safety
The BSP member also said that attempts were now being made to shift the blame to him, and accused BJP MP Nishikant Dubey of spreading “absolute falsehoods”.
“The threat issued by Mr. Bidhuri and the subsequent spread of inaccurate information about my conduct have raised substantial apprehensions regarding my personal safety and security,” Mr. Ali said, asking for additional security.
