Punjab BJP leaders on Sunday got a police complaint lodged in Chandigarh on Sunday against the party colleague Sandeep Dayma over his remarks on gurdwaras at a recent rally in Rajasthan’s Tijara. They also sought his expulsion.
Punjab BJP’s women’s wing president Jai Inder Kaur led a party delegation to register a police complaint a day after her father and Punjab’s former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh had demanded strict action against Dayma. However, Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar maintained that the Rajasthan leader’s outburst cannot be condoned.
In her police complaint, Jai Inder has sought strict action against Dayma for his remarks. She has said an FIR should be registered against the Rajasthan leader.
“The insensitive hate remarks made by Rajasthan leader Sandeep Dayma against our sacred Gurdwaras and Masjids have deeply hurt our sentiments and cannot be forgiven just by a mere apology. The Punjab BJP strongly condemns it and today we have filed a police complaint against the said leader and demand that the strongest action be taken against him,” said Jai Inder, after filing the complaint.
Punjab BJP Mahila Morcha president said: “Our state leadership, led by president Sunil Jakhar ji, has already conveyed our strongest opposition against Sandeep Dayma staying in the party to the Central leadership and I once again urge them to take strong action against him and immediately expel him from the party.”
Later in the day, Jai Inder expressed her gratefulness towards the BJP high command for expelling Dayma from the party.
A controversy erupted in Rajasthan ahead of the upcoming state Assembly polls when Dayma made his remarks targeting gurdwaras at the Tijara rally on November 1. As per reports, Dayma had said that the gurdwaras that have come up in the desert state will become “open sores” and those should be uprooted. Dayma has since tendered an apology for his remarks.
Jakhar said that he has apprised the party leadership of the reprehensible statement of Dayma. “Outburst of Rajasthan leader against religious sentiments of fellow citizens cannot be condoned. I have apprised central leadership of hurt caused to people by his reprehensible statement,” he said.
“State BJP unit has recommended exploring of all options to ensure no repetition of such misconduct takes place as no apology would assuage hurt and anger caused by this insensitive remark,” said Jakhar in his post on X.
Capt Amarinder, a day before, had said that people like Dayma, who speak mindlessly and make vicious statements, should have no place in a party like the BJP. The apology tendered by Dayma has served no purpose as it had already caused immense hurt to well-meaning people, he had added.