To tour election-bound Rajasthan’s Tonk district, BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri skipped the meeting of Lok Sabha privileges committee, where he was called to appear in connection with his abusive remarks against BSP MP Danish Ali.
According to sources, Mr. Bidhuri wrote to the panel informing them that he would be unavailable on Tuesday because of a “pressing commitment”. The panel is hearing complaints filed by several Opposition MPs against Mr. Bidhuri, for making communally abusive remarks against Mr. Ali during a debate on the country’s successful lunar landing mission Chandrayaan-3 on September 21. The panel is also looking into a counter complaint filed by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey against Mr. Ali for making “disrespectful” comments against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The committee will now decide the next date of hearing.
Following the furore over Mr. Bidhuri’s remarks, the BJP issued a showcause notice to him seeking explanation but almost simultaneously, he was appointed party’s poll in-charge of Tonk district on September 26.
While, skipping the Parliamentary Panel’s meeting, Mr. Bidhuri, kept a steady stream of posts from his travels in Tonk district. Speaking to mediapersons there, he also attacked the Congress on its working committee’s statement on the Israel-Palestine conflict. “On Monday, the Congress Working Committee in its meeting passed a resolution on attack on Israel, by supporting Hamas. The Congress keen to keep one particular community happy is now supporting terrorists, “ Mr. Bidhuri claimed. The Congress resolution on the conflict does not name “Hamas” or extend support to the group. While expressing “dismay” and “anguish” in a paragraph-long reference to the conflict, the party reiterated its “long-standing support” for the rights of the Palestinian people and called for immediate ceasefire and negotiations on all outstanding issues.
