Rajat Sharma, Chairman and Editor-in-Chief, India TV
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday expressed his strong disapproval over an incident in Indore, where the local BJP MLA, son of senior party leader Kailash Vijayvargiya hit a municipal official with a bat, and was eulogized by his supporters when he came out of jail.
Addressing the BJP parliamentary party meeting, Modi did not name anybody but referred to the "incident in Indore" and said: "Do you think this is the reason why people voted for us? ...Whosoever he may be, whosoever's son he may be, whether an MLA or MP..such arrogance, misbehaviour cannot be tolerated. This is totally unacceptable....
"I would like to know what valour had the person in the video showed to deserve such a big welcome from party workers. Action must be taken and if required, the local unit should be disbanded."
The Prime Minister has taken the right step in denouncing such acts of hooliganism. Till now, brats of VVIPs used to openly breach the law and they were given protection and patronage, but Prime Minister Modi has bucked this trend. He has sent a correct message to the nation.
The action of Akash Vijayvargiya hitting at a municipal official with a bat, the manner in which his father Kailash Vijayvargiya defended him and scolded mediapersons, and the pomp with which Akash was garlanded and welcomed by his party supporters had caused consternation in the minds of people across the country. Naturally, people get angry when they find VVIPs' brats committing such acts.
This is not confined to BJP alone. In Telangana, the brother of a ruling party MLA recently thrashed a lady forest guard with a stick. There are many such examples. Prime Minister Modi has surely sent a stern message by denouncing acts of hooliganism by Akash Vijayvargiya and his supporters. I hope leaders from not only BJP, but other political parties, will take a cue from this and restrain their family members from committing breach of law.
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