E-cigarette row erupts in Parliament as Anurag Thakur accuses TMC MP of smoking in Lok Sabha

As the Parliament’s Winter Sessions continues, BJP MP Anurag Thakur on Thursday raised an unusual protest in the Lok Sabha, alleging that a TMC member had been using an e-cigarette inside the chamber.

India banned e-cigarettes nationwide several years ago, making their use both a legal and procedural violation.



The charge surfaced during Question Hour, when Thakur paused mid-supplementary to ask whether such devices were permitted in the House.

Speaker Om Birla promptly responded that e-cigarettes were not allowed, prompting Thakur to claim that a TMC parliamentarian had been “repeatedly” vaping during proceedings over several days.

His allegation triggered immediate demands from BJP members for action against the unnamed MP.

With the House growing noisy, Speaker Birla appealed to MPs to uphold the dignity of Parliament.

He added that any intervention from his office would require a formal written complaint, after which appropriate steps would be taken.