BJP MP Anurag Thakur on Friday submitted a written complaint to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla demanding action against a Trinamool Congress MP who allegedly smoked e-cigarette inside the House. He had raised this issue in the Lok Sabha on Thursday without taking the name of the TMC MP.
Thakur said in his complaint, ‘A Trinamool Congress MP was seen openly using electronic cigarette during the proceedings of the House.’ He also said that this act was “clearly visible” to many members present in the House.
The BJP MP said the “open use” of banned substances and prohibited equipment inside the Lok Sabha, the sanctum sanctorum of Indian democracy, is not only a gross violation of parliamentary decorum and discipline but also a cognizable offense under laws made by Parliament.
He said that at a time when the Government and Parliament have taken a strong stand against all forms of tobacco and nicotine products, such conduct not only hurts the dignity of the House but also sets a very wrong precedent and sends a dangerous message to the youth of the country.
The BJP MP said in his letter to the Speaker, ‘Therefore, I humbly request you to take immediate cognizance of this serious violation of rules and law and direct an investigation into the incident through the appropriate committee or system of the House.’
The former Union Minister requested the Speaker, ‘Strict action should be ensured and it should be recorded in the records, so that the dignity and decorum of the House is maintained.’
When Thakur raised this issue in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, Birla had said that if a written complaint is filed in this matter, he will take action. E-cigarettes were banned in the country a few years ago.
TMC MP Kirti Azad targeted Thakur and said that he wasted the time of Lok Sabha by raising this issue in the House. When asked about Thakur’s complaint, Azad told reporters in the Parliament complex, ‘If you file a complaint making any allegation against any MP or party, then you will have to prove it. Lok Sabha has rules and regulations. He (Thakur) has been a Union Minister. If they are not aware of the rules and regulations, then they are making allegations. This will have to be proved.
He said in a questioning tone, ‘If I accuse Anurag Thakur and BJP MPs of taking 40 percent commission in government work, then I will have to present evidence to prove it. I know they take commission, but I have no proof. Then what should I do?’