In a stern warning to dissidents within the party, the BJP on Sunday suspended Rajya Sabha MP and eminent lawyer Ram Jethmalani.
Jethmalani had asked for party president Nitin Gadkari’s resignation, besides criticizing the party’s stand on questioning the appointment of the new CBI director. Party spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain, however, said there were three reasons for the veteran leader’s suspension from the party.
“First, he hit out at the very core of our ideology. He slammed Lord Ram when he is revered by crores. Second, he persisted with his demand for the resignation of our party president. Third, he critiqued our party policy. When two Leaders of Opposition, in their letter to the PM, demanded that the appointment of CBI the chief be put in abeyance because of the collegium factor, Jethmalani misread the entire thing and went ballistic,” Hussain told Express. “His statements are an act of gross indiscipline and are meant to help the Congress,” he added.