BJP expels J&K leader for hate speech made in Poonch

Jammu, May 1 (IANS) The BJP on Wednesday expelled a leader of its J&K unit for making a hate speech during the election campaign in Poonch district.

Satish Bhargav has been expelled from the primary membership of the party for 6 years.

The BJP came after a video clip went viral showing Bhargav making a hate speech and using unparliamentary language in a meeting at the Mendhar area of Poonch.

BJP’s J&K President Ravinder Raina, in a statement, said that based on a recommendation made by the Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee, Satish Bhargav, district spokesperson, Poonch, has been expelled from the party for a period of six years for gross indiscipline and for using unparliamentary language and hate speech, which is video recorded”.

He cited the letter from the Disciplinary Committee Chairman Sunil Sethi, saying that the senior leader’s “deplorable behaviour by a senior leader is gross indiscipline and can’t be tolerated in a disciplined party like the BJP, and recommending his immediate expulsion as an enquiry is not needed in this matter as his conduct is recorded and spread in the masses”.

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, who is a candidate from the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha constituency, also accused the BJP leader of threatening the Pahari community to vote for BJP-supported candidate or else it would cause a communal flare-up like 1947.