NEW DELHI: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday said that disciplinary actions will be taken against TMC MP Kirti Azad fore allegedly smoking an E-cigarette inside the Parliament.Birla urged the parliamentarians to maintain decorum inside the House and it will not be possible for any one to spoil the dignity of the Parliament.”The process of investigation is in the direction of being completed. As soon as the investigation process is completed, the action plan will be made and will go to the committee, and the process will be completed. It will not be possible for anyone to spoil the dignity of the House,” Birla said.”It is a responsibility. You will have to maintain decorum inside the House and the one who does not maintain decorum will be punished under the rules and procedures of the Parliament. Action will be taken. Action will be taken as per the rules,” he added.During the winter session of the Parliament, Bharatiya Janata Party MP Anurag Thakur filed a complaint against Kirti Azad, claiming that he was vaping in the Lower House during the ongoing session. In the letter, Thakur stated, “A Member of Parliament belonging to the All India Trinamool Congress was seen openly using an electronic cigarette while seated in the House during the sittings.” He added that the act was “clearly visible” to several members present in the House.Thakur termed the alleged act a serious violation of parliamentary conduct, calling it a grave breach of rules and statutory provisions. He also noted that he had brought the issue to the Chair’s attention during the session.In his complaint, the BJP MP also reminded the Speaker that the manufacture, production, import, export, transport, sale, including online sale, distribution, storage and advertisement of electronic cigarettes are completely prohibited across the country under the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes (Production, Manufacture, Import, Export, Transport, Sale, Distribution, Storage and Advertisement) Act, 2019.BJP leader Amit Malviya also shared a 35-second video that according to him, showed Trinamool MP Kirti Azad vaping in the House. The video showed Azad sitting inside the Lok Sabha and purportedly making smoking gesture. Azad was seen bringing his cupped right hand towards his mouth and holding it for five seconds.
