‘Cherish being Malayali’: CPM’s John Brittas snaps after ‘lungi wala’ slur

On a day when CPM member John Brittas of Kerala challenged BJP MP Sushmita Dev for allegedly disparaging his attire, the Rajya Sabha witnessed a heated exchange between the two lawmakers. Following the incident, the Chairman C P Radhakrishnan summoned both members to his office for discussion. Dev counter-challenged Brittas with a breach of privilege motion, leading to uproar from both sides of the House.

During the proceedings, Brittas expressed his pride in being Malayali, emphasizing the importance of respecting regional identities in parliamentary debates. He contended that the use of stereotypes in political discourse was detrimental to the unity of the nation. Brittas also alleged that Dev had repeatedly interrupted him while he was attempting to read a resolution on a Bill.

Leaders of the government and opposition parties alike called for a resolution to the issue. Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju stressed the need for both members to be heard, while the House Chairman urged members to maintain decorum and respect cultural sensitivities. Following the adjournment of the House, both MPs individually discussed the matter with Opposition leaders.

The incident sparked criticism from Opposition members, who viewed Brittas' comments as an insult to Indian and South Indian culture. They argued that such remarks were indicative of the BJP's attitude towards regions outside the Hindi-speaking belt.