Privileges Committee to meet on 10 Oct to hear oral evidence in Bidhuri case

The Privileges Committee of the Lok Sabha will hold its first meeting on 10 October to investigate the controversy arising out of BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri's use of objectionable language against the BSP's Danish Ali in the Lok Sabha, during which the MP from the ruling party will submit oral evidence to the panel.

"Oral evidence of Ramesh Bidhuri, MP, in respect of complaints received from various Members of Parliament against him and Kunwar Danish Ali, MP, for alleged improper conduct during the discussion on 'Chandrayaan-3 Mission' in the House," the agenda of the meeting read.

The issue polarised political parties as a number of opposition leaders in the Lok Sabha wrote to Speaker Om Birla seeking action against Bidhuri, while several Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members accused Ali of making disparaging comments against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his "running commentary" when Bidhuri, the MP from South Delhi, was speaking.

BJP MPs, including Nishikant Dubey, have criticised Bidhuri's derogatory comments but also accused Ali of instigating Bidhuri.

The speaker had sent all the complaints he had received from the MPs to the Privileges Committee headed by BJP member Sunil Kumar Singh.