New Delhi: A political dispute has escalated in Parliament after the BJP sought disciplinary action against a Trinamool Congress MP accused of vaping inside the Lok Sabha chamber. The controversy comes a day after Saugata Roy was seen smoking in the open area outside Parliament, drawing sharp reactions from Union ministers.
Roy, who appeared in a video holding a cigarette while being questioned by Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Giriraj Singh, defended his action by stating he was not inside the building and therefore not violating any rules.
Speaking to reporters today, Roy accused the government of shifting attention away from Delhi’s severe pollution levels.
“Smoking inside the House is prohibited, but smoking in open spaces outside is allowed. Pollution in Delhi is at its peak under this government. One cigarette won’t change anything,” he asserted.
The issue intensified when the BJP alleged that Roy used an electronic cigarette, banned in India since 2019, inside the Lok Sabha chamber. In a letter to the Speaker, BJP MP Anurag Thakur said the act was a serious breach of law and set a harmful example for young people. He emphasised that all nicotine and smoking devices have been prohibited inside Parliament since 2008.
Calling the alleged act a “blatant violation of parliamentary decorum” and a cognizable offence, Thakur demanded an inquiry and “exemplary action” against the MP. Although Roy’s name was not mentioned, the complaint referred to a “Trinamool member.”
Thakur had raised the vaping allegation during Question Hour, claiming that some Trinamool MPs were using banned devices inside the House.
Meanwhile, a widely circulated video from yesterday shows Shekhawat and Singh confronting Roy inside the Parliament complex. Singh can be heard warning him about the health hazards, while Shekhawat argues he was putting others at risk.
Roy firmly denied vaping inside the chamber.
“I was not in the House at that time. I don’t know who smoked or who complained. It is for the Speaker to investigate. Why turn this into a political issue?” he said.
When pressed further, Roy snapped at reporters, saying, “You cannot smoke in the building, but outside it is allowed. Are you the Speaker to decide? Make any headline you want—I will not comment further.”
