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NEW DELHI: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday shared a video from inside the Lok Sabha, claiming that Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Kirti Azad was vaping in the Lower House during the ongoing session.BJP’s I-T cell chief Amit Malviya claimed that the TMC MP accused by BJP MP Anurag Thakur of vaping inside Parliament is none other than Kirti Azad. “For people like him, rules and laws clearly hold no meaning. Just imagine the audacity, hiding an e-cigarette in his palm while in the House! Smoking may not be illegal, but using it in Parliament is entirely unacceptable. Mamata Banerjee must clarify on her MP’s misconduct,” Malviya wrote on X. A few days ago, BJP MP Anurag Thakur had submitted a written complaint to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, seeking action against a Trinamool Congress lawmaker for allegedly using an e-cigarette inside the House.The BJP MP raised the issue during Lok Sabha proceedings on Thursday, though he did not name the TMC member at the time. The Hamirpur MP later submitted a formal complaint detailing the alleged violation.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. According to Lok Sabha Secretariat sources, the matter was being treated seriously, and appropriate action would be initiated in line with established norms after examining the recordings of the proceedings.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 Question Hour on Thursday.In his complaint, the BJP MP 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.
