New Delhi: Actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha is likely to face “action” for attending the opposition rally in Kolkata as the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) on Saturday said it will take “cognisance” of it.
“He is likely to be suspended from the party after President Amit Shah returns from AIIMS. He has now crossed all the limits as he directly attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” a senior BJP functionary said.
Party spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy called Sinha an “opportunist” and said: “The party would take congnisance of it.”
Rudy, who like Sinha also hails from Bihar, alleged that the MP from Patna Sahib constituency is availing all facilities provided to a Member of Parliament.
“Some people want to carry the banner of BJP to enjoy the perks of being an MP. Such people make it a point to be present in Parliament when the party issues whip, so that they do not lose membership (of the House). But at the same time, they are so opportunist … they voice different opinions from different platforms,” he told a press conference.
Calling him “very clever”, Rudy accused Sinha of never being present in any BJP activity in the last five years.
“I have never seen him present in any party activity for the last five years. He is very clever and takes decisions on the basis of his political understanding. He calls himself of BJP and attends opposition rallies. So, I am sure the party will definitely take a call on it,” he added.
Bihar BJP President Nityanand Rai said that “appropriate action will be taken at appropriate time.”
Meanwhile, Sinha — who attended on Saturday an anti-BJP rally organised by Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata where leaders of 23 opposition parties were present — admitted that he is a “rebel”and stepped up his attack against Prime Minister Narendra Modi by adopting Rahul Gandhi’s “chowkidar chor hai” jibe.
“People often ask me why I speak against Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) while being in it. If speaking the truth is rebellion, then, yes, I am a rebel,” Sinha said at the United India Rally of opposition parties at the Brigade Parade Ground here.
The actor-turned-politician won over the massive crowd at the mega-rally by starting his speech with a filmy-style utterance: “Bahut jaan hai (it has a lot of life).”
Sinha was introduced by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee as “Bihari babu” as the “khamosh” actor lived up to the billing every bit by calling for the youngsters as “aap sab mein bahut dam hai (you all have a lot of strength)”.
Accusing the Modi government of being “autocratic” as compared to Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s “democratic”, Sinha said unless questions relating to the Rafale deal is answered, he will continue to be called “chowkidar chor hai”.
Sinha also said the BJP was trying to “divert the attention of the public” ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls by taking up Ayodhya Ram mandir issue instead of answering the queries.
“Now that polls are here they are trying to divert the attention by taking up the temple issue in Ayodhya. They (BJP leaders) would not answer anything on the questions of Rafale but will instead try to divert everyone’s attention by bringing up the Ram Mandir issue,” he said.
Sinha also added that he hasn’t seen a better rally, also waxing lyrical about Banerjee.
“I haven’t seen a better rally. This is Bengal’s magic and moreover the magic of Mamata Banerjee,” said Sinha also speaking in Bengali for a while much to the crowd’s delight.
“We are here to give the country a new leadership. We are here to give the country a new direction,” he said to loud cheers.