Kapil Gujjar’s swift entry and exit from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday was a throwback to party-like inductions in 2014 that sparked a public outcry and forced similar exits. Hours after joining the party on Wednesday, Gujjar, who fired at a demonstration against the Citizens’ Law (Amendment) in Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh, was hastily expelled.
As reactions on social media turned to criticizing the party for recruiting Gujjar, a red-faced BJP unit in Uttar Pradesh issued a statement stating that they “had no idea of his involvement in the controversial Shaheen Bagh incident.”
This is not the first time the party has had to issue a quick expulsion message after the public uproar.
In 2014, Bihar’s Sabir Ali was expelled from the party within hours of joining. Ali’s entry into the BJP sparked a furor within the party and some members alleged that he was a sympathizer of Yasin Bhatkal, the alleged mastermind of the Indian Mujahideen terrorist group. BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, who is now a Union minister, tweeted against Ali’s accession, but later deleted the post. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the ideological source of the BJP, also backed Naqvi’s opposition to Ali’s accession.
Also Read: Shaheen Bagh Shooter Kapil Gujjar Joins BJP, Expelled Two Hours Later
Ali’s induction was discussed at the highest levels of the party and then-BJP Chairman Rajnath Singh suggested that such issues should be discussed internally. The same year, the late Sushma Swaraj made public her opposition to the induction of B Sriramulu, an associate of the Reddy brothers from Karnataka accused in the Bellary mining scam.
“I want to make it absolutely clear that B Sriramulu has been admitted to the party despite my strong opposition,” Swaraj had tweeted even when Sriramulu was not removed from the party.
The BJP was also forced to terminate the membership of another controversial figure, Pramod Muthalik, who joined the party in Karnataka’s Hubli with much fanfare in 2014. Muthalik leads Sri Ram Sene, who led an attack on women in a pub in Mangaluru in 2009 .
When asked if the party is considering a process to streamline the union of candidates, a senior leader said it is not possible to track all members.
“For mass political parties, not just the BJP, it is not possible to keep track of every entry or induction. Sometimes these inductions occur at the block or district level. Only when the state or central leadership is informed of something unpleasant about a candidate, action is taken, ”said the leader on condition of anonymity.
The leader said that most inductions that occur in the presence of senior party leaders at the state or central level are organized based on the request of the members.
“Sometimes those who want to join request the state or the central leadership that their formal induction into the party fold be done in the presence of senior leaders, otherwise there is no protocol to enter,” said the leader.
Patna political commentator Ajay Kumar Jha said: “While it is not possible for parties to follow every accession, it is important that they take quick action if they discover that someone’s credentials are questionable.”
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