We are all used to seeing footballers remove their jersey as a part of post-goal celebrations. Even they receive an automatic yellow-card though. But taking off one's shirt in the Parliament while one is supposed to be representing the people of the constituency is a first. And like many other things that Parliamentarians have done in the past, unacceptable.
Congress MLA from Bhadravathi constituency in Shivamogga district BK Sangamesh took off his shirt in the Karnataka Assembly in protest against the State government. He had taken off his shirt as a mark of protest during the "One Nation, One Election" debate. Sangamesh took off his shirt while stating that he and his family were being targeted with false cases by the ruling party and their affiliates. As soon as he took off his shirt, Congress state president DK Shiva Kumar asks him to wear it. Consequently, he has been suspended for seven days from the House by Speaker VH Kageri.
Inappropriate behaviour - has it happened in the past?
Unacceptable and inappropriate behaviour is so precedented in the context of the Indian Parliament that it hardly carries any shock value. In 2016, the Jharkhand Assembly witnessed riotous scenes when a shoe was hurled at Speaker Dinesh Oraon. Jharkhand Mukti Morcha legislator Polush Surin was the one who chose to register his protest with his footwear. That's not it. The speaker's mikes were damaged and chairs and tables were thrown around in the House. The ugly scenes were witnessed in the wake of a months-long stalemate between Bharatiya Janata Party and the opposition over two land acts when an amendment bill was tabled and passed within minutes without any discussion.
When shoes & chairs were exchanged
Nothing can really "set the bar higher" than the 1988 violence, often joke the political watchdogs of India. Janaki Ramachandran was asked to prove her majority in the House. At the last minute, it was informed that Rajiv Gandhi had opposed the motion. As many as five MLA's turned rebellious and mayhem ensued. Mikes, paperweights, papers and chairs, you name it were used for pelting. So much so that to restore the normalcy the police entered the House, lathi-charged the MLAs.
Just a year later in March, the Tamil Nadu assembly witnessed lawlessness when Karunanidhi's glasses were broken and some people tore the budget papers. As Chief Minister M Karunanidhi stood to present the State Budget, Leader of the Opposition Jayalalithaa sought to move a breach of privilege motion against him, objecting to a person charged with criminal offences shouldn't be permitted to present the state's budget.
A shirtless politico
While we've seen shirtless models, actors and sports icons, shirtless politicians will require a lot more getting used to. In stretching their imagination, the netizens are amused and how. "Never a dull moment," jokes a user, with many others sharing the sentiment and joining in.
