Parliament Smoke Show: Union Ministers Confront TMC MP Saugata Roy for Smoking on Premises
Union Ministers confront TMC MP Saugata Roy for smoking on Parliament premises.
Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Saugata Roy was caught smoking near the Makar Dwar on Parliament premises on Thursday, prompting a sharp confrontation from Union Ministers Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Giriraj Singh. The incident was captured on video and quickly went viral, drawing widespread attention to parliamentary decorum.
When confronted, the ministers raised concerns about the violation of public health norms and the dignity of the House. Shekhawat could be heard saying, “Aap sarvajanik swasthay ko khatra pahunch rahe hain (You are putting public health in danger),” while Singh remarked, “Aaj izzat bacha diye aapki, nahi to sab log benaqab ho gaye hote (Today, we saved your dignity, otherwise everybody would have been exposed).”
Roy remained defiant during the confrontation, insisting that MPs are prohibited from smoking inside the building but may do so in open areas outside. He reiterated his position to reporters, stating, “We can smoke e-cigarettes within the premises of the House. We cannot smoke inside the building, but can outside.”
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The confrontation comes amid recent allegations by BJP MP Anurag Thakur that a TMC MP had smoked an e-cigarette inside the Lok Sabha. Thakur highlighted that e-cigarettes are banned across India and questioned whether any permission had been granted. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla clarified that no such permission had been issued.
Thakur further alleged that certain TMC MPs had been smoking repeatedly over several days in Parliament and urged the Speaker to take action against violations of the rules. Birla assured that appropriate steps would be taken if an MP were found guilty of contravening parliamentary regulations.
The incident has sparked debate about adherence to rules within Parliament and the enforcement of public health measures on official premises. It also underscores the ongoing tensions between ruling and opposition members over conduct inside the nation’s highest legislative body.
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