Will fringe groups derail BJP's agenda? - Livemint

Niranjan Jyoti (centre), Union minister of state for food processing, apologized in both Houses of Parliament following the opposition’s demand for her resignation. Photo: PTI

New Delhi: Will fringe groups, within and outside the party, prove to be the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) underbelly?

A hate speech by Niranjan Jyoti , minister of state for food processing, united the Congress-led opposition, forcing repeated disruption of Parliament on Tuesday. Even Jyoti’s apology did not assuage the opposition, which demanded her resignation.

The minister’s apology, made in both Houses of Parliament, came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi counselled Jyoti. Earlier, addressing a parliamentary party meeting of the BJP, Modi emphasized that party members of Parliament (MPs) should be cautious in making public statements.

According to PTI, Jyoti told a public meeting on Monday night that voters should elect sons of Ram, the Hindu god, and not “illegitimate sons”—a remark directed against Muslims.

This is not the first time that fringe elements in the party have courted controversy. As in the case of Jyoti, such gaffes are serving up political issues for the opposition, which otherwise has been adrift after the devastating defeat in the 16th general election.

Ahead of the bypolls to the Uttar Pradesh assembly in September, Adityanath, the BJP MP from Gorakhpur, also made controversial statements targeting minorities. Similarly, senior BJP leader Giriraj Kishore, who was recently inducted in the government, had in the run-up to the general election said that those who don’t vote for the BJP should be sent to Pakistan.

“My intention was not to hurt anyone. If my speech outside the House has hurt anyone, I express my deep regrets. If certain words spoken by me outside the House have hurt someone, I take back my words and offer regrets,” Jyoti told both Houses of Parliament.

While admitting that the comments made by Jyoti were improper and unacceptable, finance minister Arun Jaitley said the house cannot decide whether her action was criminal in nature and it should be left for agencies outside Parliament.

Earlier, demanding that criminal charges be filed against Jyoti, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati said: “The language used by Niranjan Jyoti is unconstitutional and incites communal sentiments. She must resign immediately; Prime Minister must dismiss her.”

Political analysts say fringe elements such as Jyoti could prove to be a political liability for the BJP.

“This kind of language is not good. It will be difficult for the Prime Minister to control people who make such controversial statements. If these leaders can make such statements during a public meeting in Delhi, we can imagine what can be said in their constituencies. The statement is against the mood of the country,” said Manisha Priyam , a Delhi-based political analyst.

Meanwhile, the opposition parties, at a time when the government is looking to move crucial legislations through Parliament, are hardening their stance.

The issue has the potential to disrupt the proceedings in the Rajya Sabha where the Congress, the Trinamool Congress, the Samajwadi Party, the BSP, the Janata Dal (United) and the Left parties along with other smaller parties have over 120 MPs out of the 245 members.

Even within the party, there was visible disquiet. “All those at constitutional posts must have control over the kind of language they use,” said Murli Manohar Joshi , one of the senior-most BJP leaders.

Soon after the Lok Sabha met for the day, members of the Congress and the Trinamool Congress shouted slogans and forced the House to be adjourned.

“The objectionable language used by Niranjan Jyoti has created tension at a time when there have been instances of communal tension,” Mallikarjun Kharge , leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, said. While legislative business could be taken up in the Lok Sabha, repeated adjournments disrupted Rajya Sabha proceedings.

“Prime Minister must come to Rajya Sabha and answer serious questions nation is facing like the poor language used by a minister. We see him only taking selfies,” said Derek O’Brien , an MP from the Trinamool Congress.

PTI contributed to this story