BJP spokesperson expelled over criticism of party's 'treatment' of Dhankhar, Satyapal Malik
Jaipur, Aug 9 (PTI): The Rajasthan unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) expelled state spokesperson Krishna Kumar Janu for six years, citing his public criticism of the party's "treatment" of former governor Satya Pal Malik and ex-vice president Jagdeep Dhankhar.
According to party officials, the action followed a disciplinary process initiated in June. BJP state disciplinary committee chairperson Onkar Singh Lakhawat said a show-cause notice had been issued to Janu on June 20, seeking an explanation for his comments.
"He failed to justify his actions, and the committee decided to expel him for six years," Lakhawat said.
The controversy had risen after a purported video of Janu was widely circulated on social media platforms. In the video, Janu is heard criticising senior BJP leaders over what he described as the "humiliating treatment" of Malik, who had served as the governor of several states and was once the party's national vice-president.
Malik died earlier this week after a prolonged illness at the age of 79.
Janu also referred to Dhankhar's exit from the post of vice president, noting that both leaders are from the Jat community.
Janu questioned MPs, MLAs, and other office bearers from the community working within the BJP, asking how they could be sure similar treatment would not be meted out to them.
"Malik's treatment cannot be justified. What the BJP is doing with mass leaders is very sad," he said in the video.
Malik attracted a lot of controversy after alleging that he was offered a bribe to clear files of two major projects in Jammu and Kashmir and questioned the BJP-led central government over issues related to farmers and the Pulwama terror attack, among others.
Dhankhar, a former governor of West Bengal before becoming the vice president, is also a prominent political figure from Rajasthan. Following his abrupt exit from the VP post citing health reasons, opposition leaders claimed he was "forced" to resign.
Party insiders said Janu's remarks were viewed as damaging to the BJP's image and internal discipline. Lakhawat noted that the disciplinary committee considered the matter seriously, especially as the comments came in the run-up to key political activities in the state.
The expulsion underscores the BJP's strict stance on public criticism of its leadership, particularly on issues involving senior figures and former office-bearers.
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Women BJP MLAs protest against opposition in UP assembly premises
Lucknow (PTI): Women BJP MLAs held a protest in the Vidhan Bhawan complex before the one-day special session of Uttar Pradesh assembly, slamming the opposition for defeating the passage of a bill, which would have led to implementation of the Women's Reservation Law, in the Lok Sabha.
This followed another demonstration by Samajwadi Party MLAs, who alleged that the BJP was misleading public in the name of women's reservation.
The women BJP legislators assembled in front of Chaudhary Charan Singh's statue in the assembly premises, holding banners inscribed with the slogan "Insult to Matrushakti (women's power), India will not tolerate it". The protesting members entered the main hall of Vidhan Bhawan carrying the banners.
Participating in the protest, the state Minister for Women Welfare and Child Development, Baby Rani Maurya, told reporters that all opposition parties, including the Samajwadi Party and the Congress, had opposed the women's reservation, a stance for which they would have to pay a heavy political price.
"On this issue, all of us women stand united. We will ensure that we secure our reservation," she said.
BJP MLA Ketki Singh remarked that their protest represents the collective outrage of millions of women across the state.
Singh asserted that the opposition has betrayed women by creating hurdles in the path of women's reservation. The current demonstration is merely the beginning, and very soon, women from every street, intersection and household will join the protest movement, she said.
Minister Vijaylakshmi Gautam said, "We strongly condemn the despicable act committed by the Samajwadi Party and the Congress in an attempt to hold back 'half the population' (women). Their action was directed against the very bill that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had introduced to empower and strengthen Nari Shakti (women's power), and which he strived to pass expeditiously."
Uttar Pradesh assembly is holding a one-day special session on Thursday. During the session, the government is set to move a censure motion against the opposition parties over their failure to pass the Constitution Amendment Bill, which would have led to implementation of the Women's Reservation Act, in the Lok Sabha.
