Bikaner BJP Minority Morcha district chief Usman Ghani has been expelled from the party for six years for condemning Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent remarks at a rally in Rajasthan.
Ghani had expressed disappointment at Modi’s suggestion that the Congress would “redistribute” wealth to Muslims if it came to power. He also claimed that the BJP was likely to lose several Lok Sabha seats in the state due to the remarks.
The BJP expelled Ghani for “tarnishing” its image. BJP State disciplinary committee chairman Onkar Singh Lakhawat said, “The party took cognisance of Ghani’s act to tarnish its image and expelled him from its primary membership for six years.”
Ghani’s expulsion is the latest in a series of controversies surrounding Modi’s remarks on Muslims. In a speech at a rally in Banswara on Sunday, Modi had said that if the Congress comes to power, it would “redistribute” wealth to Muslims. The remarks were widely condemned by opposition parties and Muslim groups, who accused Modi of trying to polarise voters along religious lines.
The BJP has defended Modi’s remarks, saying that he was merely stating the truth. However, the remarks have damaged the party’s image among some Muslim voters. It remains to be seen whether the BJP will be able to regain the support of these voters before the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in 2024.
