BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya on Saturday, 8 July, expressed ignorance about the party issuing any show-cause notice to his MLA son Akash for assaulting a civic official with a cricket bat in Indore last month.
Two days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an apparent dig, criticised Kailash Vijayvargiya’s son Akash, the BJP’s Disciplinary Committee issued him a show cause notice on Thursday, 4 July, reported news agency ANI.
Vijayvargiya (34), a first-time BJP MLA from Indore-3 Assembly segment, was arrested last Wednesday after he was caught on TV cameras assaulting municipal officer Dhirendra Singh Bais with a cricket bat while opposing demolition of a dilapidated house.
On Tuesday, Modi told party MPs that if anybody bringing a bad name to the organisation with their conduct, it is "unacceptable."
“PM in BJP parliamentary party meeting today said that action should be taken if someone has done something wrong. He also said that it is applicable on everyone,” BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy told news agency ANI on Tuesday.
PM Modi reportedly also said, “Kisi ka bhi beta ho, nikaal dena chahiye...” (doesn’t matter whose son he is, he should be ousted).
Contrasting Statements by Party Leaders
While the Madhya Pradesh BJP president had earlier this week said that no decision was taken on the matter, a senior national leader had asserted that a notice was issued.
“Nothing like that, at least in my knowledge.”Satyendra Bhushan Singh, MLA and Office Secretary of the state BJP
BJP leaders have feigned ignorance regarding any notice being served to Akash asking him to explain his conduct.
“I don’t know about it. I (just) reached here (Bhopal) from Delhi but I read in newspapers that Akash was served something,” Kailash Vijayvargiya told reporters when asked about the show-cause notice against his son.
In reply to a question whether he scolded Akash over the incident, the Vijayvargiya senior said that he had done whatever he was supposed to do as a father.
"Dantna (reprimanding) and samjhana (explaining)... I don't want to discuss it publicly," he added.
When asked about Akash not being seen in public after the prime minister's statement, his father said, "Ask him. He will be here to attend the state Assembly session (on 8 July)."
No Decision Taken Yet: MP BJP Chief
Meanwhile, news agency PTI quoted Madhya Pradesh BJP chief and Jabalpur MP Rakesh Singh, as saying that no decision has yet been taken on Vijayvargia’s issue.
Following a meeting of the state BJP leaders in Bhopal, Singh said that the meeting was about membership drive.
Singh, who is considered to be close to BJP president Amit Shah, has been holding talks with other state BJP leaders over the issue, party sources said.
He has already spoken to BJP vice president and former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who does not enjoy a good equation with Kailash Vijayvargiya, sources said.
Singh also spoke to Kailash Vijayvargiya over phone, they added.
When quizzed by reporters after he met state unit leaders at the BJP office here, Singh said, "No decision has been taken yet (about Akash Vijayvargiya). When we take the decision, we will inform you."
Following the incident, Kailash Vijayvargiya had termed the bat assault incident as "unfortunate", adding that his son had raised his voice in support of a poor family and not a builder.
He said both his son and the civic administration were "novice players" and that the dispute could have been avoided.
(With Inputs from PTI)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)