BJP leader served showcause notice after speaking up for expelled former minister

Mohit Gupta was earlier the state president of BJP Yuva Morcha from 2013 to 2015, apart from holding other positions in the state party unit.

Almost a week after the expulsion of former minister Anil Joshi, the BJP on Friday served a showcause notice to another leader — Bathinda-based Mohit Gupta, who is member of party’s state working committee. The notice was issued by Vinod Kumar Binta, BJP’s Bathinda district president, on the directions of state president Ashwani Sharma, and Gupta has been given two days time to reply.

Mohit Gupta was earlier the state president of BJP Yuva Morcha from 2013 to 2015, apart from holding other positions in the state party unit.

This is the third showcause notice to any senior BJP leader within a span of 9 days in Punjab. The first one was issued on July 6 to former Cabinet minister Anil Joshi on July 6 followed by R D Sharma, former deputy mayor of Ludhiana municipal corporation, on July 8. Gupta is the third leader to be showcaused. While Joshi was expelled, there has been no action taken on Sharma’s reply so far.

Soon after former Cabinet minister Anil Joshi was expelled from the party for 6 years, Gupta had given a statement in the media that it was ‘black day’ for the BJP.

Gupta said, “I still stand by my statement. I will reply back to this notice within 2 days and let’s see what they do. It is surprising that talking about welfare of Punjab, farmers, labourers, traders is any sort of indiscipline? It is high time that the party’s state leadership does some self-introspection as we are a party for the people and hence have to think about them. Who would not want that farmers’ issue should be solved? It needs to be resolved sooner than later.”

Gupta said that he had joined BJP in 1992.

R D Sharma was served notice after he arranged three meetings of BJP workers when Anil Joshi had come to Ludhiana.

Sharma said, “Yes, I had arranged three meetings at different places and the BJP district president was informed about it. At every meeting gathering was also significant where Joshi tried to convince workers that we should support farmers. How is this anti-party? I have sent my reply to the concerned authorities as well and let’s see what they do.”

Sharma is currently vice president of BJP Ludhiana district unit and has been with the party for decades.

Sharma said,”I am against any sort of violence being done while protesting against BJP leaders which is being reported from many parts of the state. However, at the same time I feel that the issue of farmers should be resolved.”

Sources revealed that several BJP workers are also unhappy over action taken against Anil Joshi.

BJP’s organisation secretary Dinesh Kumar when contacted said, “We are not serving notice to each and everyone, but the ones who do not follow protocol. We also want outstanding issues to be resolved and we are also well-wishers of farmers. But the mode they adopted is not correct. So, Joshi has been expelled from the party for 6 years while others were issued notices. “

 

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