New Delhi: Opposition leaders have slammed the BJP over its Lok Sabha member Ramesh Bidhuri, who is in the eye of a storm for his derogatory comments against BSP MP Danish Ali, being given poll responsibility by the party in Rajasthan’s Tonk district.
In a post on X, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal said the BJP has “rewarded” Bidhuri for attacking Ali with the “unspeakable words” in Parliament.
“BJP rewards ‘hate’. Bidhuri rewarded for attacking Danish Ali (BSP) for the unspeakable words he used in the Special Session of Parliament. Made BJP in-charge of Tonk District in Rajasthan.”
“Muslim population in Tonk 29.25 per cent. Symbolises ‘hate’ for political dividends,” he said Thursday.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh, in a post on X last night, said, “Sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas’ yeh sab hai inka bakwaas.”
TMC MP Mahua Moitra also slammed the BJP and said Bidhuri had been “rewarded” for his remarks against a Muslim MP.
“How does a showcaused person be given a new role by BJP? Narendra Modi ji, is this your Sneha Yatra for minorities, your love outreach?” she said on X.
In a post of X, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said, “So much for the #BhajaParty’s show cause notice! The foul-mouthed MP is now in charge of Tonk, where no doubt he will have plenty of opportunities to polarise the electorate even further with his divisive rhetoric!”
Later, speaking with PTI, Sibal said an “irresponsible” person has been given responsibility and that is the politics of the BJP.
“Here is a man who, in unspeakable terms, made statements against a community and an individual member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha. Such terms cannot be used in a civilized dialogue. He should have been suspended forthwith…Had it been any member of the opposition, he would have been suspended forthwith and maybe expelled from Parliament,” he said.
Sibal said Bidhuri should have been expelled but instead, he has been “rewarded”.
With the Gurjar community present in large numbers in the Tonk district, which has four Assembly seats, including the one held by senior Congress leader Sachin Pilot, the BJP believes Bidhuri can help it swing the votes as he is also from the same caste.
Pilot is also from the Gurjar community.
Bidhuri’s responsibility will be akin to the BJP’s poll in charge of the district, party sources said.
Bidhuri also posted on X that he attended a coordination meeting for the Tonk district held in Jaipur. Rajasthan BJP president C P Joshi chaired the meeting.
The BJP MP from South Delhi had been issued a show cause notice by the party after his derogatory words targeting Ali in Lok Sabha last week sparked massive outrage with the opposition demanding his suspension from the House.
Bidhuri’s remarks targeting Ali during a discussion on the success of the Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission last Thursday sparked a furore, with opposition leaders calling for stringent action against the BJP MP.
Opposition parties have rallied around Ali and targeted the BJP on its MP’s remarks. Several members of the Congress, TMC and NCP among others have written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking the strictest action against Bidhuri.
PTI
