BJP youth wing leader Yogesh Varshney offers Rs 11 lakh bounty for Mamata's head
Lucknow: Parliament on Wednesday condemned a statement by a BJP youth wing leader announcing a Rs 11 lakh bounty to anyone who beheads West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, with the Centre saying the state government was “free to take legal action” against him.
Yogesh Varshney, leader of the Bhartiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), is in the eye of storm for having announced a reward of Rs 11 lakh ‘for the head’ of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
The BJYM leader announced the reward in Aligarh on Tuesday night after a rally on Hanuman Jayanti was lathicharged in Birbhum district in West Bengal.
“Mamta Banerjee organises Iftar party, she argues for the Muslims. I want to ask her are Hindus not human? Anyone who was seen wearing a saffron or red short or pant was beaten up by her police. If anyone brings me her severed head, I will give that person Rs 11 lakh,” he said while talking to repor-ters on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, after the furor that the incident caused, the BJP’s youth wing on Wednesday severed ties with Yogesh.
Expelling Varshney for two years the youth wing has also demanded legal action against him. “BJYM stands against the statements made by Yogesh Varshney and also urges the local administration to take all the necessary legal actions against him,” said a BYJM release. Meanwhile, leaders across political parties condemned as “barbaric” a BJP youth wing leader’s offer.
The Trinamul members, led by Banerjee, demanded the immediate arrest of Yogesh Varshney. The Centre also roundly condemned the statement and said the West Bengal government was free to take legal action against Varshney.
In the Rajya Sabha, deputy chairman P.J. Kurien said the state government can register an FIR and take action.
Raising this issue during Zero Hour in the Upper House, Trinamul member Sukhendu Sekhar Roy asked the House and the government to condemn the statement, saying “a constitutionally elected CM has been described as a demon”.
Minister of state for parliamentary affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said: “I strongly condemn such type of statements. The state government is free to take appropriate legal action on this issue”.
BSP supremo Mayawati termed it as a “serious matter” and said “BJP should not just condemn the statement, but should also take action.”
Other opposition parties including Congress, Left and SP, also supported the Trinamul on this issue and condemned the incident.
Jaya Bachchan (SP) said there was a need to take “aggressive” steps for protection of women. “You can protect cows and women are facing atrocities,” she added.
“How dare somebody talk like this, especially against a women Chief Minister particularly when women are feeling insecure. “Is this the way you are going to protect women,” Bachchan asked.
BJP member Roopa Ganguly said she too was a woman and “I was beaten up by 17 goons of the Trinamul in front of policemen. The CM who is also a woman should answer this.” In the Lok Sabha, too, the BJP youth leader’s bounty offer was condemned by all sides.
