Today, On 25th July, The Lok Sabha witnessed an uproar following Abhijit Gangopadhyay’s remarks against Gaurav Gogoi, leading to a warning for the BJP MP. Kiren Rijiju emphasized that no member should make such comments, while Speaker Om Birla urged all members to uphold the dignity of the House.
Calcutta: The opposition, On Thursday, members protesting against remarks made by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member Abhijit Gangopadhyay targeting Congress member Gaurav Gogoi in the Lok Sabha the previous day, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju stated that the Speaker has the authority to take action against such behaviour. Rijiju emphasized that no member should make such remarks.
Abhijit Gangopadhyay, a former judge of the Calcutta High Court and now a BJP candidate for the Lok Sabha elections, stirred controversy with his recent comments on Mahatma Gandhi and Nathuram Godse.
He stated that he “cannot choose between Gandhi and Godse” and highlighted the necessity of understanding Godse’s motivations by reading his writings.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh criticized the comment, calling it “worse than pathetic” and unacceptable for someone aspiring to be a public representative. He urged the BJP to withdraw Gangopadhyay‘s candidature immediately, highlighting the inappropriate nature of his statement amidst the electoral campaign
This remark has been met with significant criticism from various political parties, especially the Congress, which demanded the withdrawal of his candidature. The Congress labelled the comment as highly inappropriate and urged the BJP to take immediate action against Gangopadhyay.
Speaker Om Birla also urged all Lok Sabha members to uphold the dignity of the House.
He said,
“While such remarks are expunged, in future, no member should make such remarks in their speeches or make remarks while sitting on their seats.”
As the protests against Gangopadhyay‘s remarks continued, Birla mentioned that the BJP MP had been cautioned.
Speaker Om Birla stated,
“Members can express their views and participate in discussions but should also ensure the respect and dignity of the House. Everyone should work towards increasing the dignity of the House, and the member concerned has been cautioned against making such remarks in the future,”
Abhijit Gangopadhyay, a former judge of the Calcutta High Court and a BJP MP from West Bengal, engaged in a heated exchange with Gaurav Gogoi, the Deputy Leader of Congress in the Lok Sabha, during his maiden speech in Parliament.
During this exchange, he made certain remarks against Gaurav Gogoi, which the Speaker later expunged from the record.
Read Also: Calcutta High Court Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay to Resign, Signals Political Aspirations
On Thursday, July 25, the Lok Sabha adjourned twice in the post-lunch period as a war of words erupted among its members.
Abhijit Gangopadhyay, who won the Talmuk Lok Sabha seat in West Bengal in the recently concluded 2024 general elections, is a first-time MP. He resigned from his position as a judge of the high court to join the BJP.
During his Lok Sabha campaigns, the Election Commission of India (ECI) banned him from campaigning for 24 hours due to an ‘undignified’ remark made against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.