A controversy over an alleged “lungiwala” remark by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Sushmita Dev against the Communist Party of India (Marxist) CPI(M) MP John Brittas during Monday’s proceedings disrupted the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday after Brittas raised the matter in the House.Dev rejected the allegation that she had made any disparaging reference to the attire associated with a particular state.The matter led to a commotion during the morning session, prompting Chairman CP Radhakrishnan to adjourn the Rajya Sabha until 2 pm. When proceedings resumed, Dev gave her version of events on the floor of the House. Leader of the House JP Nadda said the differences between the two MPs could be settled if they met him in his chamber.What happened?The row stems from an incident on August 10, when Brittas was speaking on a statutory resolution opposing the Income Tax (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026. Brittas raised the issue in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, alleging that Dev had moved from her designated seat to one directly behind him while he was speaking and repeatedly referred to him as “lungiwala”, according to PTI.“She repeatedly called me lungiwala,” he alleged.Speaking to reporters in the Parliament complex after the proceedings, Brittas repeated his allegation against Dev, claiming that she had made derogatory comments about him while he was moving a statutory resolution.“She made derogatory remarks against me, calling me a lungiwala while I was moving a statutory resolution,” he said.Brittas further claimed that Dev’s senior party colleague Sukhendu Sekhar Roy had told her that she should not have made such remarks.Brittas had previously filed a privilege motion against Dev over the alleged remarks.What Dev saidFollowing the adjournment, Dev clarified her position in the House, saying she wanted to place on record that she had not made any derogatory comments about the traditional attire of any state.“I am a Bengali from Assam. I have seen different states where we wear different attire and clothes. Neither I nor any members have cast aspersions on any state's attire. I wanted to put that on record,” she said.Dev added that she had known Brittas for a considerable period and said she was open to speaking with him should he require any clarification.She stressed that Parliament should not send a message suggesting that any member favours dividing India, whether along cultural or religious lines.“No message from this House should go that any member wants division in India whether culturally or on the basis of religion," the BJP MP stated.Dev, while speaking to the media separately, said she had filed a breach of privilege motion against Brittas, which is currently before the Rajya Sabha Chairman.“I have moved a Breach of Privilege motion against Honourable Member Mr John Brittas. It is pending with the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. He will take a decision,” she said.Dev also said she possessed a video recording of the proceedings from 4.34 pm on August 10, when the Income Tax (Amendment) Bill was under discussion. She alleged that Brittas’ remarks on the microphone concerning religion and a political party’s allegiance were not in keeping with his usual conduct.Dev said she had known Brittas for a long time and was surprised by the way the issue had been reported in Kerala, a state she said she deeply respected and cared for. She maintained that the matter had been presented in a misleading way and appealed to people in Kerala to wait for the outcome of the privilege proceedings before drawing conclusions."I myself come from North-East; we wear mekhalas, we wear dhotis, for this to be spread is completely misleading, and I hope the people of Kerala will wait till the privilege motion is decided to see who's right and who's wrong," she mentioned.Dev also referred to Brittas as a “dear friend” and said she had told him in the House that he was free to approach her if he needed any clarification.Opposition protests over cultural attire c
The Lok Sabha passed the Tribunals Reforms Bill 2026 without debate amid Opposition protests. The Bill proposes a National Tribunals Commission, uniform appointment rules and a National Tribunals Data Grid.File photo of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla conducting the proceedings of the House during the Monsoon Session of Parliament.(ANI/Sansad TV)The Lok Sabha on Monday passed the Tribunals Reforms Bill, 2026 without debate amid sloganeering by Opposition MPs protesting the alleged police action against students during a July 20 demonstration, according to PTI. The Bill was introduced earlier in the day by Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal.Opposition MPs had demanded the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the House over the alleged police action. The House was later adjourned till 11 am on Tuesday.What does the Tribunals Reforms Bill propose?The Bill seeks to establish a National Tribunals Commission (NTC) to oversee the appointment, administration and functioning of various tribunals. According to ThePrint, the commission will comprise a chairperson, two judicial members and two technical members.The chairperson will have to be a former Supreme Court judge or a former Chief Justice of a High Court, while technical members will need at least 25 years of experience in fields such as public administration, finance, law or technology.The NTC will conduct selection processes for tribunal vacancies, review the performance of members and oversee inquiries into complaints against them.Which tribunals will it cover?The Bill covers 16 tribunals and authorities, including the Central and State Administrative Tribunals, Securities Appellate Tribunal, Armed Forces Tribunal, National Green Tribunal, National Company Law Appellate Tribunal, National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission and Income-tax Appellate Tribunal.Meghwal said the legislation does not change the jurisdiction of tribunals under their respective parent Acts.Why has the government brought the Bill?The Bill proposes to repeal the Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021, following Supreme Court rulings that struck down key provisions of the legislation over concerns including separation of powers and judicial independence.According to The Print, the Supreme Court had also highlighted the need for an independent overarching body to handle tribunal appointments, infrastructure and disciplinary matters.The Bill proposes a centralised appointment system through Search-cum-Selection Committees and requires the government to process recommendations within three months.What else does the Bill provide?The legislation proposes a National Tribunals Data Grid containing case-related information to improve transparency and facilitate performance monitoring.It also seeks to standardise tenure, with chairpersons serving for five years or until 70 and members for five years or until 67, whichever is earlier, according to ThePrint.The proposed NTC and its secretariat are estimated to cost ₹27.14 crore.Congress MP Jairam Ramesh welcomed the proposed reforms but criticised the government's earlier defence of the 2021 law, saying it had been "compelled to enact many of the very reforms it had stoutly resisted".About the AuthorPrabhakar JhaPrabhakar Jha is a journalist and digital news editor with nearly a decade of experience in online media, specialising in breaking news, politics, national affairs. Having built his career across fast-paced digital newsrooms, he has developed a reputation for delivering accurate, timely, and reader-friendly stories while leading editorial teams during high-pressure news cycles. In 2026, he joined LiveMint as a Digital Content Producer. A postgraduate in History from the University of Delhi, Prabhakar combines strong editorial judgment with a keen interest in public policy, governance, economics, and global affairs. Before joining LiveMint, he worked with leading digital publications, including News9Live and The Times of India, where he handled breakin
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