Ruling party member makes Islamophobic remarks inside Indian parliament

A legislator from India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has made Islamophobic remarks and used abusive language addressing a Muslim MP from the opposition Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) inside the parliament.

BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri on Thursday called Kunwar Danish Ali a “terrorist” and a “pimp” among other offending remarks against Muslims.

“You extremist… I am telling you, you circumcised,” Bidhuri said in Hindi, using a slur often used for Muslims in India by extremist Hindus.

“I will see this mulla outside,” said the parliamentarian from the South Delhi constituency in an apparent threat at the end of a viral video.

Sitting next to him, senior BJP leaders and former union ministers laughed when he made the Islamophobic remarks.

Parliament Speaker Om Birla, according to local media reports citing officials on Friday, took serious note of the offensive words used by Bidhuri during the parliament session and warned the BJP leader of "strict action" if he repeated such offensive behavior.

Video footage from the Indian Lower House of Parliament, Lok Sabha, on Thursday, showed Bidhur, who is the long-time leader of BJP Delhi Pradesh, repeatedly hurling abusive words and anti-Islam slurs at Ali.

The video of his hate speech went viral on social media, leading to widespread outrage.

"The fact that it happened in a new Parliament building under your leadership is heartbreaking for me as a minority member of this great nation and as an elected MP," Ali wrote to the Speaker, urging him to refer the member of the ruling BJP party to the privileges committee.

Speaking to NDTV today, Ali said he "couldn't sleep all night" and wanted to leave the Indian parliament which is dominated by PM Narendra Modi's party.

"I express regret if the opposition is hurt by the remarks made by the member," he said.

Mahua Moitra, a firebrand MP from Kolkata of Trinamool Congress, tweeted, "Abusing Muslims, OBCs an integral part of BJP culture - most now see nothing wrong with it."

She added that PM Modi "has reduced Indian Muslims to living in such a state of fear in their own land that they grin & bear everything. Sorry, but I’m calling this out. Ma Kali holds my spine."

The opposition parties demand that Bidhuri's remarks be referred to the privileges committee of the Lok Sabha for examination, investigation, and a final report.

As opposition leaders slammed Bidhuri’s behavior and demanded action against him, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh expressed regret in the House shortly afterward.

However, the apology did not appease the opposition. They insisted the Bidhuri should be suspended or arrested.

"It's an absolute shame. Rajnath Singh's apology is not acceptable and half-hearted. This is an insult to parliament, this is a clear case of suspension and Bidhuri statement is an insult to every Indian," said Congress leader Jairam Ramesh.

He pointed out that in the previous session, their Lok Sabha leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was suspended for allegedly "insulting ministers," yet no action was being taken for a BJP MP saying far worse.

Ramesh demanded the "strictest possible action" against Bidhuri.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) questioned in a post sharing the video, "BJP Delhi MP is calling another Muslim MP with these words in front of the Speaker in the Parliament Is this the culture of BJP?"

The party called it the darkest day in the history of parliament.

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah highlighted the abusive words used by Bidhuri and posted, "How easily expletives roll off the tongue of this hateful "Hon" MP! Hate against Muslims has been mainstreamed like never before. How do Muslims who identify the BJP as their party coexist alongside this level of abject hatred?"

"If he had called us terrorists, we are used to it. But he said this against all Muslims. It makes us very angry. It just shows their mindset against Muslims. New parliament, but the old mindset," Abdullah said to reporters.

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