BJP MP Harsh Vardhan, who appeared to be laughing when his party colleague Ramesh Bidhuri abused BSP member Danish Ali in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, has claimed that some “vested political elements” were spreading a “notorious and fabricated story filled with negativity” to “tarnish” his image.

“While I was no doubt witness to the jugglery of words being thrown at each other (which in fact the entire House was), the truth of the matter is that in the chaos that existed, I could not clearly hear what was being said,” Harsh Vardhan, a former Union minister, wrote on X. He is the MP of Chandni Chowk in Delhi.

Harsh Vardhan came under attack after video footage of the incident that went viral on social media showed him chuckling as Bidhuri made the abusive comments.

In a long post on X, Harsh Vardhan wrote: “...People have dragged me into this unfortunate incident where two MPs were using unparliamentary language against each other on the floor of the House. I ask my Muslim friends who are writing against me on social media today, whether they actually believe that I could ever have become party to usage of such derogatory language that would hurt the sensibilities of any one community?

“It is a notorious and fabricated story filled with negativity and is being used by some vested political elements on social media to tarnish my image.”

Harsh Vardhan asserted that in 30 years of public life, he has worked closely with “lakhs of Muslim brothers and sisters”.

“...I have spent my childhood and grown up playing with my Muslim friends. I can state with utmost confidence and conviction that all Muslim brothers and sisters who have ever been in contact with me will vouch for my sentiments and behaviour,” he said.