A political storm has erupted in Parliament after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused a Trinamool Congress (TMC) Member of Parliament of using an electronic cigarette inside the Lok Sabha. The BJP shared a short video clip, claiming it shows TMC MP Kirti Azad vaping during a session, an act deemed a serious breach of parliamentary decorum.
TMC's Cautious Response and Demand for Evidence
Reacting to the allegation, TMC's national general secretary and Lok Sabha leader, Abhishek Banerjee, adopted a cautious stance. Speaking to reporters in Kolkata, Banerjee refused to comment based solely on the brief clip. He emphasized that there are more than 50 cameras inside Parliament and demanded the release of the full footage.
"Until I see the full video, I cannot make any comment based solely on someone's allegation," stated Banerjee. He asserted that the party respects Parliament's dignity and rules, acknowledging that smoking or vaping inside the House is unacceptable. He promised that if the full video substantiates the claim, the party would issue a show-cause notice and take appropriate disciplinary action against the MP.
BJP's Formal Complaint and Escalation
The controversy was formally escalated by BJP's Hamirpur MP Anurag Thakur, who submitted a written complaint to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. The complaint seeks action against the TMC lawmaker for the alleged misconduct. BJP's IT cell chief, Amit Malviya, directly named Kirti Azad as the MP in question.
Targeting Azad, Malviya remarked, "For people like him, rules and laws clearly hold no meaning." He criticized the alleged act of hiding an e-cigarette in his palm while inside the House, calling it audacious. Malviya also called upon TMC chief Mamata Banerjee to clarify her stance on her MP's conduct.
Internal Discipline Issues Within TMC
This incident occurs against a backdrop of the TMC leadership attempting to tighten internal discipline. Abhishek Banerjee recently held a meeting with party MPs, urging them to be cautious and avoid actions that could "bring disrepute to Bengal." This intervention follows several instances where MPs acted without informing the party leadership.
These instances include Krishnagore MP Mahua Moitra performing at a wedding for BJP MP Naveen Jindal's daughter, and Dum Dum MP Saugata Roy attending NCP leader Sharad Pawar's birthday celebrations. In another case, Hooghly MP Rachana Banerjee sought an appointment with the railway minister without prior party approval. Abhishek Banerjee has now instructed MPs to seek the party's approval before meeting Union ministers.
The vaping allegation, therefore, adds a new layer of complexity to the TMC's ongoing challenges with enforcing party discipline among its parliamentarians, while the BJP continues to apply political pressure over the issue of parliamentary propriety.
