Even as Jagdeep Dhankar has cited health reasons, many in the BJP, the party he belonged to, believe that it was his treatment by his own party and leaders that compelled him to quit. Now, a spokesman of the Party has been expelled for speaking out on these lines.
The Rajasthan unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has 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.
The action reportedly 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.
“Malik’s treatment cannot be justified. What the BJP is doing with mass leaders is very sad,” Janu said in a video that went viral. He said both Dhankar and Malik, Jat leaders had been humiliated by the BJP.
“He failed to justify his actions, and the committee decided to expel him for six years,” Lakhawat claimed.
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 recently. 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 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.
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