New Delhi: Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Saugata Roy on Thursday (December 11) was caught smoking on Parliament premises outside the Makar Dwar. He was then confronted by Union Ministers Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Giriraj Singh.
When the Union Ministers expressed concerns about public health and the dignity of the House and confronted Roy, the TMC MP remained defiant. He said, "MPs cannot smoke inside Parliament, but can smoke outside in open space."
"Aap sarvajanik swasthay ko khatra pahunch rahe hain (you are putting public health in danger)," Shekhawat could be heard saying in a viral video.
In another video, Singh could be heard telling the TMC MP, "Aaj izzat bacha diye aapki, nahi to sab log benaqab ho gaye hote (Today, we saved your dignity, otherwise everybody would have been exposed.)"
Later while speaking to reporters, Roy reiterated his stance that MPs can smoke outside Parliament. "We can smoke e-cigarette (within the premises of the House). We cannot smoke inside the building, but can outside," the TMC MP said.
Roy was caught smoking on the day when Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Anurag Thakur accused a Trinamool Congress MP of smoking an e-cigarette inside the Lok Sabha. Thakur made the allegation while speaking in the Lower House.
"Desh bhar mein e-cigarette ban ho chuki hai, kya aapne allow kar di hai? (E-cigarettes have been banned in the country, have you allowed this?)" Thakur asked Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. To which Birla replied that no such permission was granted by him. However, Thakur did not name the TMC MP.
"Sir, TMC ke sansad kayeen dino se lagatar baith ke pee rahe hain, sir (Sir, the TMC MP is smoking continuously for days)," Thakur further alleged.
He also urged the Lok Sabha Speaker to take action against the MP for the violation of the rules. Birla assured appropriate action against the TMC MP if found guilty of violating rules.
