Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Anurag Thakur on Thursday accused an unnamed opposition leader from Trinamool Congress of smoking an e-cigarette in the Lok Sabha, with Speaker Om Birla assuring action.
During Question Hour, while asking a supplementary, Thakur wondered whether e-cigarettes are allowed 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 them for several days... e-cigarettes are being smoked in the House. Please investigate this immediately," Thakur said.
When Birla replied in the negative, the BJP MP from Himachal Pradesh said a Trinamool Congress leader has been "constantly smoking e-cigarettes in the House for the past several days".
The accusation prompted other BJP MPs to stand up and complain as well, triggering a brief uproar to add some variety to the often chaotic scenes that unfold regularly in Parliament. Several BJP members then demanded action against the opposition MP.
If a written complaint is lodged, I will take action.
Amid uproar, Birla urged members to maintain the dignity of the House. He said if a written complaint is lodged, he will take action.
E-cigarettes were banned in India a few years ago. The Winter Session of Parliament began on 1 December and will continue until 19 December.
An e-cigarette (electronic cigarette) is a battery-powered device that heats a liquid—usually called e-liquid or vape juice—to create an aerosol that the user inhales.
In 2023, the Union government wrote to states to ensure effective compliance, highlighting instances of e-cigarettes being sold at grocery or stationery stores near educational institutions.
India has banned smoking in public places, including the Parliament building and its grounds. The Parliament Rule Book states smoking is "strictly forbidden".
The ban on smoking in Parliament — along with the shutdown of its designated smoking room — had also triggered an uproar in 2015, with MPs across party lines raising the issue with then Speaker Sumitra Mahajan.
