Congress leader Rahul Gandhi meeting MP Danish Ali. —Twitter/RahulGandhi
New Delhi: In a show of unity, India’s opposition parties have come together to support a Muslim MP and demand the suspension of a Hindu right-wing deputy who made an Islamophobic slur against him.
During a discussion on India’s successful moon landing, BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri referred to Danish Ali, a Lok Sabha MP from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), as a terrorist.
Following this incident, several opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi from the Congress party, visited Danish Ali’s house to express solidarity. Gandhi, accompanied by Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal and MP Imran Pratapgarhi, met with Danish Ali for about 40 minutes. After the meeting, Rahul Gandhi stated to the media, “In a market of hatred, here’s a shop of love.”
Speaking to the Newslaundry portal, Danish Ali said that he had no dispute with Ramesh Bidhuri and questioned where he had received such training. He also expressed his disappointment that hate speech was being witnessed during a special session in the parliament. Ali further criticized BJP MPs Dr. Harsh Vardhan and Ravi Shankar Prasad for smiling and thumping the desk while Bidhuri continued using communal slurs.
MP Imran Pratapgarhi pointed out that the use of communal slurs was previously limited to villages, but now it has entered the parliament, which is a shame for the country. He stated that if no strict action is taken, it would demonstrate that the government’s intention was to abuse.
In response to the opposition’s visit, Danish Ali retweeted Rahul Gandhi’s post and wrote, “Your sudden visit has boosted my morale! Hate will lose, love will win!!!”
During a discussion on Chandrayaan-3 in the Lok Sabha, Ramesh Bidhuri used communal slurs against Danish Ali. The Speaker of the House warned Bidhuri over his remarks and expunged them following the opposition’s objection. However, opposition parties are demanding the suspension of Bidhuri.
BSP supremo Mayawati expressed her disappointment in the BJP’s lack of action against Bidhuri and called it unfortunate. The BJP has issued a show-cause notice to Bidhuri for his use of objectionable words in parliament. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, a former BJP chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, expressed regret for Bidhuri’s remarks.
The video of Bidhuri’s controversial references to Danish Ali has gone viral, prompting opposition parties to demand strict action, including suspension from the House. Speaker Om Birla has cautioned Bidhuri and warned of strict action if such an offense is repeated.