3 weeks ago
Rajya Sabha Adjourned Amid Uproar Over 'Lungiwala' Slur Against Brittas
In India, important leaders meet in Parliament to make rules for the country.
One of its houses, the Rajya Sabha, is like a big classroom where the leaders talk.
On Monday, a leader named John Brittas was speaking about a new tax rule.
He said that another leader, Sushmita Dev, kept calling him a rude name, 'lungiwala,' which hurt his feelings.
So John Brittas complained to the person in charge, Chairman Radhakrishnan, and asked for a special review called a privilege motion.
Sushmita Dev said she had not made rude comments about anyone's clothes and wanted to explain her side too.
Many other leaders started shouting as well, and some wanted to talk about donations said to have been stolen from a temple.
The Chairman said everyone should take a break until 2 o'clock and invited the leaders to his office to sort things out.
The meeting stopped for a while so everyone could calm down and talk about the problem later.
Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 2 pm on Wednesday without transacting any business following an uproar over the alleged slur.
CPM MP John Brittas alleged BJP MP Sushmita Dev repeatedly called him 'lungiwala' as he moved a statutory resolution against the Income Tax (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026 on Monday.
Brittas had earlier moved a privilege motion against Sushmita Dev over the alleged remark.
Chairman C P Radhakrishnan said he would call the concerned MPs to his chamber to resolve the issue.
Congress-led Opposition MPs raised slogans over alleged theft of donations to the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, demanding that Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge be allowed to speak.
- Who
- BJP MP Sushmita Dev and CPM MP John Brittas, with Chairman C P Radhakrishnan handling the dispute.
- What
- Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 2 pm without transacting business after Brittas alleged Sushmita Dev repeatedly called him 'lungiwala'.
- Where
- Rajya Sabha, New Delhi.
- When
- Wednesday, during the pre-lunch session; the alleged remarks were made on Monday.
- Why
- An uproar erupted over the alleged derogatory 'lungiwala' remarks, over which Brittas had moved a privilege motion against Sushmita Dev.
Opposition benches
Treasury benches
Response to the 'lungiwala' privilege complaint
Opposition benches
Opposition MPs supported John Brittas, who had moved a privilege motion against Sushmita Dev, and pressed for action over the alleged slur.
Treasury benches
Treasury benches, including Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and Leader of the House J P Nadda, insisted that Sushmita Dev be heard before any order was passed; Nadda offered to resolve the misunderstanding in his chamber.
Whether the 'lungiwala' remark was made
Opposition benches
Brittas alleged that Sushmita Dev left her allotted seat, moved to a seat immediately behind him, and repeatedly called him 'lungiwala' while he moved the resolution on Monday.
Treasury benches
Sushmita Dev denied casting aspersions on any state's attire and said no message from the Rajya Sabha should seek to divide India culturally or on the basis of religion.
Key facts
- House
- Rajya Sabha
- BJP MP
- Sushmita Dev
- CPM MP
- John Brittas
- Alleged remark
- Repeatedly called 'lungiwala' while Brittas moved a resolution against the Income Tax (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026
- Privilege motion
- Moved by Brittas against Sushmita Dev on Monday
- Chairman
- C P Radhakrishnan
- Adjourned until
- 2 pm
- Other disruption
- Congress-led MPs raised slogans over alleged theft of donations to the Ram Temple in Ayodhya
Quotes
C.P. Radhakrishnan
Chairman of the Rajya Sabha
“Certain instances have come to my notice regarding discourteous and undignified comments being made by Members interrupting the speech of other Members in the House. I would advise that Hon’ble Members should be careful not to hurt the sentiments and feelings of fellow Members, and that there should be no disrespect to the cultural traditions and regional identities of our colleagues.”
thehansindia.com
“I am a Bengali from Assam. I have seen different states where we wear different attires and clothes. Neither I nor any members have cast aspersions on any state’s attire. I wanted to put that on record.”
thehansindia.com
John Brittas
Member of Parliament from the Communist Party of India (Marxist)
“She repeatedly called me lungiwala.”
deccanchronicle.com
Sources
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