Telling behaviour

Mr Bidhuri's outburst should not become the new normal in politics

South Delhi MP Ramesh Bidhuri managed to mar what would have been rare multi-party unity in Parliament with the passage of the Bill for women’s reservation, by addressing a Muslim MP in Islamophobic language of the type typically reserved for uncouth street-level brawls. Though his remarks were expunged, the MP has received little more than a metaphorical slap on the wrist in the form of a lukewarm “warning” from Speaker Om Birla and a show cause notice from his party. Defence Minister and House Deputy Leader Rajnath Singh immediately apologised for Mr Bidhuri’s unparliamentary language, though the MP himself is