The BJP’s Ramesh Bidhuri is the MP from the posh Delhi South constituency (File).
New Delhi:
BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri – heavily criticised for hurling Islamophobic fears at BSP lawmaker Kunwar Danish Ali last week – met party boss JP Nadda Monday morning. The Bharatiya Janata Party leader had been served a show-cause notice after a vulgar outburst in Parliament that was caught on camera and fiercely condemned by the opposition, forcing his party to act against its member.
The BJPon Sunday refused to comment on his use of communal slurs and would only say Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla – who has received letters calling for action against both Lok Sabha representatives.
A day after he was publicly abused during Parliament’s special session, a tearful Mr Ali told NDTV he had been unable to sleep and was on the verge of a mental breakdown. The Bahujan Samaj Party MP also said he was considering quitting Parliament if no action is taken against Ramesh Bidhuri.
Mr Ali has written to urging action against Ramesh Bidhuri.
READ | “Considering Leaving Parliament If…”: Danish Ali On BJP MP’s Remarks
Mr Birla, officials had said, took “serious note” of the foul language and warned the BJP MP of “strict action” if he repeated such behaviour. The opposition was quick to point out that non-BJP lawmakers had been suspended, or even barred from a full session, for less horrific remarks.
On Sunday Mr Ali – targeted by another BJP MP, Nishikant Dubey, over allegations he had used casteist slurs against Prime Minister Narendra Modi – said he feared the comment was to provoke his “physical lynching outside the Parliament” since the “verbal lynching” had already begun.
READ | BJP’s Nishikant Dubey Questions Danish Ali’s Conduct, After BSP MP Was Abused
“BJP MP Nishikant Dubey’s letter (to the Lok Sabha Speaker) is to create a narrative pertaining to my lynching outside Parliament as my verbal lynching already took place,” Kunwar Danish Ali said.
READ | “Creating Narrative For My Lynching”: MP Danish Ali On BJP Leader’s Letter
Nishikant Dubey had demanded the Speaker investigate Mr Ali’s “indecent words and conduct…”
That demand was backed by a third BJP MP – in a move seen by many as the party attempting to shift focus away from Ramesh Bidhuri’s vile comments and pin blame on Mr Ali.
BJP MP Ravi Kisan Shukla on Sunday also wrote to the Speaker and demanded an inquiry into Danish Ali’s “unparliamentary” acts and language. In his letter Ravi Shukla blamed Ramesh Bidhuri’s “quite inappropriate” comments on “continuous heckling and disturbance by (Danish) Ali”.
READ | Another BJP MP Urges Speaker To Probe Danish Ali’s Conduct
Mr Ali has received support from across opposition party lines; Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was among the first to visit him last week and he shared a photo of the two hugging with the caption, ” “Nafrat ke bazaar mein, mohabbat ki dukkan (In this marketplace of hatred, there is a shop of love).”
READ | Opposition’s Show Of Support For Danish Ali, Abused By BJP MP In Parliament
Mr Ali was verbally abused on Thursday during a discussion on the success of India’s historic Moon mission, Chandrayaan-3.
