By L S Herdenia
BHOPAL: The Madhya Pradesh BJP is in a dilemma over how to handle the ugly incident involving an IAS officer and a party legislator. If the party does not punish the legislator as per the demand of the State IAS Association, it will face angry reaction from the entire service class. At the same time, if the party takes harsh action against the legislator, it may result in a united action by the party MLAs.
Perhaps in a bid to cool the anger of the IAS officers ,the BJP summoned legislator Narendra Kushwaha to Bhopal. BJP legislator from Bhind, Narendra Singh Kushwaha got a dressing-down from the party on Friday for brandishing a fist and a slap at the Bhind collector Sanjeev Shrivastava.
The party’s state president Hemant Khandelwal, organisational general secretary Hitanand Sharma; and the party’s state in-charge, Mahendra Singh Chouhan, called Kushwaha to the party office and ticked him off. They told Kushwaha that his conduct was beyond the party line.
Sharma said such conduct would not be tolerated. The leaders of the organisation told Kushwaha that they had let him off the hook, but if he did not change his behaviour, he would face the music. Khandelwal also told Kushwaha that indiscipline would not be tolerated.
Kushwaha was advised to follow the party line, and if he tried to cross the barrier, the party would act against him, he was told. According to sources, a report about the incident, in which Kushwaha brandished a fist at the collector, reached the central leadership. The central leaders also came to know that the collector and the legislator called each other a thief. The legislator and the collector accused each other of stealing sand.
Those who are breaking the party discipline are called to Bhopal and ticked off after Khandelwal taking over as the state party president. But the leaders down the line are not ready to change their conduct.
After the closed meeting with Kushwaha the party issued a statement, which said, “Taking the behaviour of the MLA seriously, the organisation warned him in strong words and clearly told him that his behaviour is against the party line and will not be tolerated. This kind of indecent behaviour will not be accepted in future.”
Khandelwal said, “Some incidents have happened. The organisation is serious about disciplinary issues. In the past too, the party took cognisance of such matters. And will do the same in the future. Whatever decision needs to be made or the direction to be taken will be done.”
The party statement further said, “Discipline is paramount. It is BJP’s identity. Indiscipline is not acceptable at any cost. The organisation has always taken a strict stand on those who break discipline.”
Perhaps not satisfied by the party action, the IAS association submitted a memorandum demanding strong action against the legislator. The IAS Association of Madhya Pradesh has condemned Narendra Singh Kushwaha for intimidating and publicly insulting Bhind district collector Sanjeev Srivastava. In a letter to CM Mohan Yadav, the Association called for legal action to prevent similar incidents, in the future and urged the government to issue clear guidelines to protect the dignity and security of field officers. (IPA Service)
