Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader and Member of Parliament (MP) in the Lok Sabha, Danish Ali, issued a statement on Friday indicating his readiness to relinquish his Lok Sabha membership if punitive measures are not taken against Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Ramesh Bidhuri.
During a discussion held in the Lok Sabha on Thursday concerning the Chandrayaan-3 mission, Bidhuri made offensive and derogatory comments aimed at Danish Ali, specifically targeting his Muslim identity.
In his interaction with the media, Danish Ali revealed that he had formally submitted a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, urging him to take appropriate action against Bidhuri. He stated, "I am confident that the Lok Sabha Speaker will take action regarding this incident since everything has been documented and is part of the Lok Sabha records. Nevertheless, if no action is initiated against Bidhuri, and if my rights are not safeguarded, I will seriously contemplate relinquishing my Lok Sabha membership," Ali asserted.
He shared, "During his address, he hurled the most vile and offensive insults at me, and this is a matter of public record within the Lok Sabha." Ali disclosed that Ramesh Bidhuri had used abusive language to target him and even referred to him as a "Muslim terrorist."
The letter that Danish Ali submitted to the Lok Sabha Speaker highlighted the gravity of the situation, and Ali expressed his deep concern about the incident occurring in the new parliament building under the Speaker's leadership. He conveyed his profound disappointment as a minority member of the nation and an elected Member of Parliament.
Ali inquired, "Where should I turn to seek protection?" and went on to assert that the derogatory language employed by Bidhuri constituted an insult not only to him but also to the entire Muslim community.
The BSP MP noted that it was the first time such unparliamentary language had been directed at an elected MP, causing considerable distress and turmoil. He lamented, "I found it difficult to sleep; my soul was deeply affected. If an elected MP is subjected to such a situation, one can only imagine the plight of the common citizen."
Furthermore, Danish Ali questioned the purpose of their election and the sacrifices made by their forebears for the nation's freedom. He expressed uncertainty regarding whether the BJP would take any disciplinary action against Ramesh Bidhuri or potentially promote him and include him in the central cabinet of ministers.
Danish Ali also voiced dissatisfaction with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's expression of regret over Bidhuri's comments in the Lok Sabha. "The Defence Minister stood up and claimed he had not heard the remarks, but if they were indeed uttered, he condemned them," Ali remarked.
It is worth noting that the offensive remarks made by Bidhuri, who represents South Delhi, were met with strong disapproval from opposition members who demanded that action be taken against the BJP MP. Subsequently, the remarks were expunged from the official records of the Lok Sabha proceedings.
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