Party MPs remarks against Advani,Sindhis spark protests

There seems to be no end in sight for the BJPs woes. After being routed in the elections...

There seems to be no end in sight for the BJPs woes. After being routed in the elections,the party finds itself in an uncomfortable situation in Chhattisgarh where party MP Baliram Kashyaps alleged derogatory remarks about Lal Krishna Advani led to street protests by members of the Sindhi community,to which Advani belongs.

Protestors burned Kashyaps effigies and demanded a public apology from the tribal leader,who was elected from Bastar (ST) seat. They were agitated after local television channels showed Kashyap saying in local Chhattisgarhi dialect that people did not have faith in Sindhis.

Tribal leader Baliram Kashyap has made derogatory remarks against Sindhi community as a whole while making a statement that the BJPs decision to project Advani as its prime ministerial candidate was a wrong step, Chhattisgarh Sindhi Samaj leader,Bharamal Mathani said.

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The Congress too joined the chorus,demanding apology from Kashyap. Whether the BJP lost the polls because of its decision to project Advani as PM candidate or not is an internal matter of that party. But we are only concerned about Kashyaps derogatory remarks against the Sindhi community, state Congress spokesman Ramesh Varliyani said.

Its not just a local issue. Cutting across party lines,Sindhi community leaders in other states would also join the agitation if the BJP did not take action against its MP, Varliyani added.

He also said that the community leaders would also consider filing a case against Kashyap if he did not tender an apology.

The state unit of the BJP disassociated itself from Kashyaps remarks. State BJP spokesperson Srichand Sundarani,who also belongs to the Sindhi community,said the party has nothing to do with Kashyaps personal views.

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Kashyap,who wields much clout in Bastar region,is known for being outspoken. Some time ago,he had criticised his own party legislators and government causing embarrassment to the Raman Singh ministry in which his son,Kedar Kashyap,is a minister.

Meanwhile,Kashyap could not be contacted for his comments on the controversy.

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