Circulate Ramesh Bidhuri’s speech video to House panel members, Danish Ali writes to Om Birla

Both Danish Ali and Ramesh Bidhuri are scheduled to before the House committee on Dec 7

Ramesh Bidhuri (L) was caught on camera uttering communal slurs at Danish Ali while speaking on the success of the Chandrayaan III mission in the Lok Sabha. (PTI)

BSP MP Danish Ali has written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, requesting him to circulate the video footage and transcript of the communal slurs used against him by BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri in the Lok Sabha on September 22 — the last day of the special Parliament session — among the members of the Privileges Committee looking into the matter. The letter comes days before Ali and Bidhuri are scheduled to appear before the House committee on December 7.

Bidhuri was caught on camera uttering communal slurs at Ali while speaking on the success of the Chandrayaan III mission in the Lok Sabha. Following his comments, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had apologised on the floor of the House.

Ali wrote that he was “shocked” that both Bidhuri and he got identical summons over complaints from various members regarding their “improper conduct”. “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 the members of the Committee of Privileges. This would expose the lies being propagated and help clarify matters by identifying the real culprit,” he wrote.

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Ali underlined the context of his request, saying, “Sir, at the outset I would like to express my shock over clubbing my complaint with the concocted, baseless and diversionary allegations drummed up by Shri Ramesh Bidhuri, against whom my prior and original complaint dated September 22, 2023 was lodged. I would like to draw your attention to my said complaint regarding use of most foul and abusive language by Shri Ramesh Bidhuri, Lok Sabha MP, from the floor of Lok Sabha against me. He called me ‘bhadwa (pimp), katwa (derogatory reference to Muslim identity), mullah ugravadi (Muslim extremist) and atankvadi (terrorist)’.”

“I had lodged the complaint with you against Shri Bidhuri hoping for a swift, strict and exemplary action by you so as to prevent repeat of the ugly language by any member in the sanctum sanctorum of Indian democracy,” he wrote.

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Saying that he sensed an attempt at creation of a diversion by turning the victim into an accused, Ali wrote, “The notice I have received from the Committee of Privileges talks about getting oral evidence against me. This is outrageous. It would be a travesty of justice if the Committee of Privileges fails to act against Shri Bidhuri by taking refuge in the fabricated, malicious… complaints against me. Shri Bidhuri had launched a one-sided and totally unprovoked abusive and unparliamentary attack on me. This was witnessed by the whole country as the proceedings were telecast live on television.”

Ali’s letter said since the matter concerned the dignity of the House, he would request the Speaker to “go strictly by the records of the House and take a swift decision based on facts”.

Vikas Pathak

Vikas Pathak is deputy associate editor with The Indian Express and writes on national politics. He has over 17 years of experience, and has worked earlier with The Hindustan Times and The Hindu, among other publications. He has covered the national BJP, some key central ministries and Parliament for years, and has covered the 2009 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls and many state assembly polls. He has interviewed many Union ministers and Chief Ministers. Vikas has taught as a full-time faculty member at Asian College of Journalism, Chennai; Symbiosis International University, Pune; Jio Institute, Navi Mumbai; and as a guest professor at Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi. Vikas has authored a book, Contesting Nationalisms: Hinduism, Secularism and Untouchability in Colonial Punjab (Primus, 2018), which has been widely reviewed by top academic journals and leading newspapers. He did his PhD, M Phil and MA from JNU, New Delhi, was Student of the Year (2005-06) at ACJ and gold medalist from University Rajasthan College in Jaipur in graduation. He has been invited to top academic institutions like JNU, St Stephen’s College, Delhi, and IIT Delhi as a guest speaker/panellist. ... Read More