The political atmosphere in India's Parliament has grown increasingly tense following a heated exchange surrounding alleged smoking incidents involving members of the Trinamool Congress (TMC). The controversy began with accusations that a TMC MP was using an e-cigarette inside the Lok Sabha, which quickly escalated after another TMC MP, Saugata Roy, was filmed smoking outside Parliament.
The initial accusation came from BJP MP Anurag Thakur, who claimed that a TMC MP had been "smoking e-cigarettes for days" inside the Lok Sabha, a violation of the nationwide ban on electronic cigarettes. Thakur urged Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to address the issue, emphasizing that e-cigarettes are banned in the country. Speaker Birla responded that no rules or precedents permit smoking of any kind inside the House and assured that he would act if concrete evidence was presented. Thakur followed up with a formal written complaint to Speaker Birla, describing the act as a grave violation of parliamentary rules and statutory law, stating the incident occurred on December 11, 2025, and was visible to several members.
Adding fuel to the fire, a video surfaced showing TMC MP Saugata Roy smoking a cigarette on the Parliament premises. This prompted immediate reactions from Union Ministers Giriraj Singh and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, who voiced concerns about public health and the dignity of the House. Shekhawat was even heard saying, "You are endangering public health, dada".
In response to the uproar, Saugata Roy dismissed the controversy as "manufactured" and based on a false premise. He argued that smoking is prohibited inside the House but permitted in open areas outside. Roy then shifted the focus to Delhi's pollution levels, stating, "Pollution in Delhi is at its highest during the BJP government. They should focus on this instead of making such allegations. Smoking one cigarette won't change anything". When pressed further by journalists, Roy retorted that smoking is allowed outside the building and that the media could make any headline to impress ministers, but he would not comment further.
The incident has sparked a wider debate about the use and regulation of e-cigarettes in India, where the sale, manufacture, import, and advertisement of e-cigarettes have been banned since 2019. E-cigarettes, often marketed as safer alternatives to traditional tobacco, carry significant health risks, including nicotine addiction, respiratory issues, and cardiovascular effects.
This is not the first time the TMC has faced internal disciplinary issues. Earlier in the year, ex-MP Santanu Sen was suspended by the TMC for alleged "anti-party" activities. The suspension followed Sen's controversial remarks about "anti-social activities" at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital after a rape and murder case. Prior to that, Sen had been removed from his post for similar remarks but was later reinstated. Additionally, the West Bengal Medical Council suspended Santanu Sen in July 2025 for allegedly making unsubstantiated claims about possessing a foreign medical degree.
