NEW DELHI: The Election Commission on Wednesday banned BJP MP Parvesh Verma for the second time over his remark dubbing Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal as a ‘terrorist’.
Verma, who represents West Delhi in the Lok Sabha, was banned from campaigning for 24 hours starting from Wednesday.
This effectively ends his role as a BJP campaigner as the campaign for the Delhi election will end at 5 pm on Thursday.
Delhi votes on February 8 and the results will be out on February 11.
“Natwarlals and terrorists like Kejriwal are hiding in this country,” Verma had reportedly said at an election rally last week.
On Wednesday, the West Delhi MP repeated his terrorist jibe at Kejriwal during a sit-in outside Parliament building, where he held a placard that read ‘Atank ka Dusra Naam Kejriwal (Kejriwal: Another name for terror)’.
Taking strong objection to Verma’s remarks, the AAP had filed a complaint with Delhi’s Chief Electoral Officer demanding registration of an FIR against him.
The BJP MP was earlier banned from campaigning for 96 hours by the Election Commission for his communally divisive remarks.
The previous ban on the BJP star campaigner had come into force on Thursday last week.
The EC action followed after Verma made a statement on Shaheen Bagh, saying that the protesters “will enter your houses, rape your sisters and daughters”.
In the late evening, the Election Commission also issued notice to DCP Crime Branch Rajesh Deo in a case related to Shaheen Bagh shooter Kapil Gujjar’s arrest.
Deo, on Tuesday, while speaking to media, had stated that Kapil is a member of the AAP though the investigation is still underway.
But, Kapil’s family members have denied any connection with the ruling party in Delhi.
Senior AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh had alleged that it was a “conspiracy” and “another example of BJP’s dirty politics.”