Apology not acceptable, Opposition parties demand suspension of BJP MP

New Delhi: Opposition parties have demanded the suspension of the BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri from the Parliament over his derogatory and abusive remarks with clear reference to the religion of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MP Danish Ali.

During a heated debate on Chandrayan 3 mission, Bidhuri hurled derogatory and abusive invectives at Danish Ali, with words like 'Bhadwa' (pimp), 'Katwa' (circumcised one), 'Mullah ugravadi' (Muslim terrorist), and 'atankvadi' (terrorist) allegedly being used against the BSP MP.

Defense Minister Rajnath Singh issued an apology on behalf of Bidhuri, and the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Om Birla, issued a stern warning to the BJP MP, cautioning him about future conduct.

However, the response from opposition parties has been far from satisfactory. Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh dismissed the apology as "half-hearted" and insisted that Bidhuri's comments constituted an insult to the Parliament itself.

"All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Asaduddin Owaisi expressed his lack of shock over Bidhuri's remarks, implying that such behaviour was becoming routine within the BJP.

He cynically remarked that he anticipated no action against Bidhuri and suggested that the treatment of Muslims in India resembled that of Jews in Hitler's Germany, addressing the Prime Minister directly.

Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh condemned Bidhuri's language as that of a "goon" and "mafia." He highlighted that the insult to Danish Ali was an insult to all opposition MPs and called for immediate action against Bidhuri.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) President Lalu Prasad criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of fostering a "depraved social and political culture" that allowed such behaviour by BJP parliamentarians. Prasad underscored the seriousness of the issue, as it tarnishes the rich parliamentary traditions of India and raises concerns about the state of democracy.

RJD MP Manoj Jha expressed sadness over the incident and raised broader questions about the language used against minority parliamentarians, emphasizing the need to address the legitimacy given to such derogatory words. He called attention to the Prime Minister's silence on the matter.