BJP's Shehzad Poonawalla slams MP for smoking e-cigarette in Parliament, demands action from TMC

Shehzad Poonawalla, without naming the TMC MP, emphasised the incident earlier flagged by Anurag Thakur to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, mentioning that even the possession of e-cigarettes is completely banned in the country.

"There is a complete ban on e-cigarettes across the country since 2019. The use of any such items is completely banned in the Parliament premises. So, getting an e-cigarette in Parliament is against the law. But a TMC MP violated all these laws today. BJP MP Anurag Thakur informed the Speaker about this incident, and the Speaker has assured him of an investigation into this matter," Poonawalla said in a press conference.

Poonawalla further demanded that TMC take action against the "erring" MP.

The question is - will the TMC take action against its MP or wait for the Speaker to do so? They say they are defenders of parliamentary democracy? What will be the action TMC will take against erring TMC MP who lowered the dignity of the Parliament & the Constitution?..." he said.

This comes after BJP MP Anurag Thakur in Lok Sabha accused a TMC MP of "smoking" an e-cigarette inside the Parliament, questioning Speaker OM Birla whether it has been allowed in the house.

"This is for the House to know that e-cigarettes are banned in the country. I would like to ask the Lok Sabha Speaker whether he has permitted e-cigarette smoking in the House. A TMC MP has been smoking e-cigarettes for days inside the Lok Sabha," Thakur asked the Chair.

Om Birla responded firmly, saying that no rule allows any MP to smoke inside the house. "If such an incident is brought to my notice with clarity, appropriate action will follow," Birla said.

E-cigarettes were banned under the Electronic Cigarettes (Prohibition) Act, 2019, making their production, sale, import, export and advertising illegal, with jail terms and fines prescribed for violations. (ANI)