Unhappy with the non-stop controversial statements of some of its leader over the beef controversy, the BJP’s top leadership on Sunday “reprimanded” them and cautioned them against making any comments that might deflect the focus from the agenda of development.
Party president Amit Shah “summoned” Haryana Chief Minister Manohar lal Khattar, Union Minister of State for Agriculture Sanjeev Balyan, Unnao MP Sakshi Maharaj and Uttar Pradesh MlA and an accused in the Muzaffarnagar riots Sangeet Som and asked them to be careful with words as their statements were causing damage to the NDA Government and the party.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already expressed “extreme displeasure” over the recent statements by the BJP leaders. The BJP’s whip came on a day the RSS mouthpiece Panchjanya in its editorial defended the Dadri lynching saying “Vedas order killing of sinners who kill cows”.
According to party sources, these leaders were “summoned” to Shah’s office on Sunday noon where they were warned against making comments that “threaten to derail” the Modi Government’s “positive agenda” and deviate the focus from employment generation, poverty reduction and development to other issues.
Sources said “displeasure” was also telephonically conveyed to MoS for Culture and Tourism Mahesh Sharma. “Besides, a message has been sought to be conveyed to the entire party hierarchy that leaders should desist from making statements that create unnecessary controversy. People prone to making controversial statements have also been conveyed the party’s unhappiness,” he said.
Shah, sources said, told these leaders that the Dadri incident was “essentially a failure” of UP’s Samajwadi Party Government, but the controversial remarks by them only deflected the attention from the failure of the State Government and turned the spotlight on BJP. “Modiji is extremely upset over these controversies,” Shah told the leaders.
These leaders, however, denied any such “reprimand” by the party high command. While Sharma said he had come to “just meet” Shah, Maharaj said his discussion with the BJP chief focused only on UP politics and his constituency Unnao. “No explanation (for controversial statements) were sought and none given,” Maharaj said. Som said his meeting was connected to party issues.
BJP’s ally Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) on Saturday had said constant controversial statements were “damaging the Prime Minister more than anybody else”. SAD leader Naresh Gujral deplored that “motormouths” were not paying heed to even the PM and that no action was being taken against them.
“Unfortunately, no action has been taken against anybody... Motormouths are not paying heed to what the Prime Minister has said. It is high time some action is taken against them so that a strong message goes all the way in Sangh Parivar that this kind of nonsense will not be tolerated,” he said on Saturday.
The Congress dismissed Shah’s exercise as “mere gimmick” and “empty formality” after the “horse has bolted”. “What is the point of closing stable door after the horse has boltedIJ For 18 months such divisive and provocative statements and actions have been recurring with monotonous regularity. So, after 18 months, Amit Shah has found time to chastise MPs and Ministers. It is obviously an empty formality. Modi has still not found time and continues to practice deafening silence. This has been a mere gimmick far from solving issues which amounts to admission of guilt,” Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said.