BJP issues show-cause notice to Bidhuri

Ruckus with party men during ‘Run for Unity’

New Delhi: Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari on Friday issued a show-cause notice to party MP Ramesh Bidhuri in connection with alleged thrashing and misbehaviour with party workers during a 'Run for Unity' event on October 31.

Bidhuri, the BJP MP from South Delhi, and his supporters were accused of "assaulting and misbehaving" with party worker Chandan Chaudhary and others during the event held at Sangam Vihar in his constituency to commemorate the 143rd birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. 

"An allegation of misbehaviour and assault on party men has been levelled against you and your family members and supporters. Show cause as to why action should not be taken against you over the serious allegations," Tiwari said in the notice. Bidhuri has been given 10 days’ time to give his version of the incident.

Latching onto the incident, both the Congress and AAP have hit out at the BJP alleging "insult and attack" on Purvanchalis in the party. Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken, leading activists of Purvnachal Morcha of the party, Friday staged a protest at the BJP office on Pandit Pant Marg. 

The Congress will not tolerate any "misbehaviour" with the people of Purvanchal by the BJP leaders in Delhi, Maken asserted. "Unless the MP, who misbehaved with the Purvanchalis, tenders his apology and resigns, Delhi Purvanchal Congress will stage protests in all the 70 Assembly constituencies," he said. 

AAP senior leader, and party's in charge for North East Lok Sabha seat, Dilip Pandey questioned Tiwari why no action was taken against Bidhuri. "The Purvanchali voters in Delhi will take revenge on BJP for this insult and attack, in 2019 elections," Pandey said.

 Bidhuri termed the incident as a "political conspiracy" against him, saying it was being given "hype" to defame him and asserted he has always kept welfare of Purvanchalis in mind, in his constituency. "The AAP and Congress are playing a dangerous game by inviting divisive politics in Delhi," he said. 

The allegation has come as a challenge for the BJP, as both Congress and AAP have mounted sharp attack on it, in view of a sizeable population of Eastern UP and Bihar natives, loosely termed as Purvanchlis, settled in Delhi. Independent estimates claim the population of Purvanchalis in Delhi to be around 40 lakh.