3 min readNew DelhiAug 12, 2026 02:40 PM IST
As CPM’s John Brittas moved a privilege notice against BJP MP Sushmita Dev in the Rajya Sabha, alleging she made a disparaging “lungi wala” remark against him the previous day, the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday witnessed a major showdown, with Chairman C P Radhakrishnan calling both the members to his chamber over the issue.
The Treasury benches demanded that Dev be heard before passing any order, who then walked up to the Chair to seek permission to speak. Taking a serious view of the exchange, the Chairman issued a formal observation, urging members to maintain decorum and respect regional sensibilities. Amid uproar from both sides, the House was adjourned till 2 pm.
Speaking on the incident in Rajya Sabha, Brittas asserted his pride in his regional identity and criticised the use of stereotypes in parliamentary discourse. “The other day, while I was speaking in the House, she made a derogatory remark, lungi wala, against me… I feel that the House should take a view on this,” the MP from Kerala said.
“I cherish every moment being Malayali… When I retire from this House, the biggest takeaway will be diversity,” he added, alleging that Dev had repeatedly interrupted him on Tuesday while he was fulfilling his duty of reading a resolution against a Bill, by repeatedly calling him lungiwala.
‘We do not subscribe to such statements’: Nadda
Responding to the allegations, Leader of the House J P Nadda said that the remarks of Brittas have come on record and Dev should also be allowed to speak, while distancing the government from such statements. “We do not subscribe to such statements. We do not call it lungi; we call it dhoti,” he said.
“Every member is equal in the House, and if there is anything unbecoming of the dignity of the House, the Chairman may call the members to his Chamber and hear them out,” Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju remarked, adding that since allegations were made against a specific member, she too should be heard.
‘Shouldn’t hurt feelings of fellow Members’
Meanwhile, the Chair issued a formal observation on the matter, while stressing the inclusive nature of the country. “Hon’ble Members, 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,” the Chairman stated.
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“Our culture is unique and inclusive of diverse regional cultures. There should be no disrespect to the cultural traditions and regional identities of our colleagues,” he noted, asking the members concerned to come to his chamber to resolve the matter and ensure the smooth functioning of the House.
As the Upper House began its proceedings on Wednesday, listed papers were laid on the table. As soon as Brittas raised the issue of him being targeted with the slur by Dev, Opposition MPs came in his support. Some of them demanded that the Leader of the Opposition, Mallikarjun Kharge, be allowed to speak. They also raised slogans over alleged theft of donations made to the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.