Terming its MlA Gagan Bhagat's remarks backing articles 370 and 35A of the Constitution as "unfortunate", the BJP's Jammu and Kashmir unit on Saturday said it would file a defamation suit against former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti for "wrongly" attributing the remarks to two BJP MlAs.
Seeking to clarify that the remarks backing Article 35 A was made only by Bhagat and not another BJP MlA Rajsh Gupta, the state BJP's chief spokesperson Sunil Sethi said Mehbooba wrongly attributed the remarks to both the legislators.
Stating that Bhagat crossed the "lakshman Rekha" by extending support to the two constitutional provisions, which form bedrock of separatism in the state, Sethi said the party's disciplinary committee has already submitted its report to the party president for necessary action against him.
Voicing his dissent over the BJP's stand on Article 35A, the BJP legislator earlier today had warned that scrapping the constitutional provision with an eye on the 2019 lok Sabha election would lead to serious consequences.
Bhagat's remarks found mention on former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's Twitter handle, where she said it was "heartening" that the BJP leaders were coming out in support of the Article 35A.
"Heartening to know that two MlAs from the BJP, Rajesh Gupta followed by Dr Gagan, have raised their voice in defence of the Article 35A…," Mehbooba wrote on twitter.
Addressing a hurriedly called press conference here, Sethi said the party would file a defamation suit against Mehbooba as MlA Rajesh Gupta has never made any statement over the Article 35A.
"We are really concerned with a statement which has come from the former chief minister attributing (the remarks of) support to the Article 35A to the two BJP legislators. Gupta had never made any statement and was misquoted by a national news channel which later clarified.
"Mehbooba's statement is defamation and we are taking it seriously," Sethi, flanked by Gupta, told reporters at the party headquarters here this evening.
Gupta clarified that he had never made such a statement which was in fact issued by another party activist, who had joined the party in 2014.
"We will issue a notice to Mehbooba and take legal action against her. It will also be brought to the notice of the Assembly Speaker for appropriate action," he said.