BJP's Amit Malviya Accuses Trinamool MP Kirti Azad of Vaping in Parliament: E-Cigarette Controversy Explained

Trinamool MP Kirti Azad has been accused of vaping inside the Lok Sabha chamber.

New Delhi:

A controversy regarding alleged smoking in Parliament escalated on Wednesday when BJP's Amit Malviya released a 35-second video purportedly showing Trinamool MP Kirti Azad vaping within the Lok Sabha.

The footage captures Azad seated in the House making what Malviya described as a smoking gesture - bringing his cupped right hand to his mouth and holding it there for approximately five seconds.

It should be noted that the video shared on X does not clearly show any cigarette, e-cigarette, or visible smoke emanating from Azad's hand.

Despite this lack of definitive evidence, Malviya accused the former cricket star of vaping inside Parliament, referencing an earlier comment by BJP colleague Anurag Thakur about an unnamed lawmaker engaging in similar behavior.

"The Trinamool 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!" Malviya stated on social media.

He further added, "Smoking may not be illegal but using it in Parliament is entirely unacceptable. Mamata Banerjee must clarify on her MP's misconduct."

This controversy follows Thakur's complaint to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla last Thursday, where he alleged that Trinamool MPs were vaping in the House. "E-cigarettes are banned across the country... yet you have allowed them in the House? Trinamool MPs have been sitting and smoking for days..."

Speaker Birla responded by urging members to maintain parliamentary dignity and promised action: "We must adhere to parliamentary traditions and rules. If such matters come to my attention, I will act."

Political analysts note that while this issue might appear trivial compared to pressing matters like electoral reform or Delhi's air pollution crisis, it carries significant political implications.

By elevating the matter to the Speaker, the BJP effectively transformed what might be considered a social faux pas into a potential breach of parliamentary privilege, giving the ruling party strategic leverage against its political rival.

The focus on e-cigarettes is particularly notable because, unlike traditional tobacco cigarettes, they are completely banned in India.

A 2019 law comprehensively prohibits the production, manufacture, import/export, transport, sale, distribution, storage, and advertising of electronic cigarettes.

The dispute has also expanded to include conventional cigarettes. Previously, Trinamool MP Saugata Roy was confronted by BJP members Giriraj Singh and Gajendra Shekhawat while smoking outside the House but still within Parliament premises.

Video footage showed Roy concealing a cigarette behind his back during the confrontation. He defended himself by stating he was not smoking inside the House itself, which is explicitly prohibited by parliamentary rules.

Roy also countered with an environmental argument, suggesting the BJP should focus on addressing Delhi's air quality crisis rather than his smoking, remarking that "one cigarette doesn't matter" in the larger pollution context.

Underlying these exchanges is an ongoing proxy confrontation between the BJP and Trinamool Congress ahead of next year's Assembly elections.

It's worth noting that smoking controversies in Parliament aren't unprecedented. In 2015, a significant dispute erupted after the designated smoking room was converted into an office for Trinamool members, prompting complaints from MPs across party lines to then-Speaker Sumitra Mahajan.