Speaker refers complaint against BJP MP Bidhuri to Privileges Committee

Days after several Opposition MPs wrote to Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla over the unparliamentary remarks made by BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri against BSP MP Kunwar Danish Ali, the speaker has referred the complaints to the Privileges Committee.

According to sources, Birla has referred the complaint against Bidhuri, the Lok Sabha MP from South Delhi, to the committee headed by BJP MP Sunil Kumar Singh.

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey thanked Birla for referring the matter to the committee and said, "Gratitude to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha Om Birla, he entrusted the responsibility of the investigation in Danish Ali’s case to the committee of Lok Sabha.

“Today this was possible because the BJP has majority in the Lok Sabha. Otherwise in the first Lok Sabha in 2006, the RJD-JD(U)-Congress fight involving shoes and microphones; Sonia Gandhi's assault in 2012; commotion at the time of formation of Telangana in 2014 when several MPs were injured, neither were committees formed, nor was anyone punished," he added.

Bidhuri stoked controversy after he used derogatory and abusive words against Ali during the Parliament special session last week.

Following Bidhuri’s remarks, Ali wrote to Birla to refer his case to the Privileges Committee and also urged him to order an inquiry into the matter. Even the BJP issued a show cause notice to Bidhuri for using unparliamentary words against the BSP MP.

Bidhuri's remarks also sparked general outrage, with Opposition leaders calling for strict action against him. Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and many other Opposition MPs, including DMK’s Kanimozhi and NCP’s Supriya Sule demanded Bidhuri's suspension from Parliament, saying that the language used by him "should not be used inside or outside Parliament".

Birla took "serious note" of the objectionable comments made by Bidhuri in the house, and warned him of "strict action" if such behaviour was repeated in future.

Meanwhile, many BJP MPs including Nishikant Dubey, Ravi Kishan and Harnath Singh Yadav also wrote to the speaker alleging provocation by Ali. A total of 11 MPs wrote to the speaker on the issue.