Hours after he was arrested, the BJP on August 23 suspended its Telangana MLA T Raja Singh from the party for making blasphemous remarks against the Prophet Muhammad.
According to the letter from Om Pathak, Member Secretary of the BJP’s Central Disciplinary Committee, Singh had expressed opinions that were at odds with the party’s stance.
Singh, the controversial BJP leader, had posted a video on YouTube making mocking comments against the Prophet Muhammad.
The BJP’s action against the 45-year-old legislator came months after it had suspended its national spokesperson Nupur Sharma for making derogatory comments against the Prophet. Her comments sparked protests abroad as well with several Islamic countries objecting and taking up the matter with India.
It had also expelled its Delhi media in-charge Naveen Kumar Jindal then.
In a notice issued to Singh, Om Pathak, who is secretary of the party’s central disciplinary committee, said, “You have expressed views contrary to the Party’s position on various matters, which is in clear violation of Rule XXV 10 (a) of constitution of the Bharatiya Janata Party. I have been directed to convey to you that pending further inquiry, you are suspended from the party and from your responsibilities/assignments if any, with immediate effect.”
Pathak also asked Singh to “show cause” within 10 days from the date of this notice as to why he should not be expelled from the party. “Your detailed reply must reach the undersigned no later than 2nd of September 2022,” Pathak said.
