NEW DELHI: Prime Minister
Narendra Modi has expressed his ire against
BJP lawmakers who take the law into their hands, saying this gives the party and the country a bad name. Though he did not name any leader, most BJP MPs said he was referring to Indore MLA Akash Vijayvargiya, who was caught on camera hitting municipal authorities with a cricket bat on June 26.
Speaking at the closed-door weekly BJP parliamentary party meeting on Tuesday, Modi emphasised the lawmakers should conduct themselves, both inside and outside
Parliament and assemblies. He said while he was shedding his sweat and blood for the party, some legislators were busy breaking the law and tarnishing the party’s image.
Asked about the PM’s speech, BJP MP
Rajiv Pratap Rudy said: “He maintained that any kind of misbehaviour that lowers the party’s image is unacceptable. Action should be taken against anyone who has done wrong. This is applicable to everybody in the party.”
Modi was in Osaka, Japan, for the G-20 summit when the news about Akash Vijayvargiya beating officials went viral, including on some foreign news channels. This irked the PM as it was making international news and showed India in poor light.
“PM said that such incidents bring a bad name to the party and to the country. Such acts cannot be condoned and strict action should be taken against those who indulge in them,” a BJP MP said.
A few reports said the PM even suggested sacking of such leaders but this was denied by some MPs.
The party is likely to issue a showcause notice to Akash and seek an explanation from him. He may be let off with a warning.
Akash’s father and parliamentary party coordinator
Kailash Vijayvargiya was present in Tuesday’s meeting.
Though BJP has a disciplinary committee, it has hardly met or taken action against erring members.
Bhopal MP Pragya Singh Thakur was issued a notice by the party during the
Lok Sabha elections and given a 10-day deadline to explain why she praised Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin
Nathuram Godse as a patriot. The case did not progress beyond the notice.
Modi asked BJP MPs to spend more time in Parliament and engage in the proceedings. He said empty treasury benches were not a welcome sight. His advice was directed mainly at the first-timers.