Will throw notice in dustbin if it has no merit: Jethmalani

Asserting that the Congress's appreciation of his stand on the appointment of CBI director — that ran contrary to the BJP's position — was not an act of "indiscipline by any civilised standards", suspended BJP MP Ram Jethmalani on Tuesday said that he will throw the showcause notice issued by the party to dustbin if it did not carry any merit.

"I learnt from the press that they have issued a showcause notice. I have not received anything yet. So I have not read it. I will read it and if I find any substance in it I will reply to it. Otherwise, I will throw it in the waste paper basket," Jethmalani told reporters.

The BJP parliamentary board on Monday confirmed Gadkari's decision suspending Jethmalani from the party and issuing a showcause notice asking why he should not be expelled from the party. The party took this decision after the veteran lawyer alleged conflict of interest between party's leaders Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley and their objection to the appointment of CBI director.

"You are well aware that for quite some time I have been advising your resignation. It is elementary that every reasonable person will suspect that you have acted out of personal pique. I am convinced that you are firmly set on the path of suicide and you are determined to drag the whole party with you. 'Vinash kale vipreet buddhi' is an old maxim," Jethmalani had written to Gadkari.

With Jethmalani sounding defiant, the BJP chose to ignore his barbs. "It is he who has only nine days left to send a reply to the party," said BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain.

Jethmalani asserted that he was was not going to resign from RS membership.

Given his defiance the BJP is not expecting Jethmalani to make a course correction, but party sources indicated that the BJP need not expel him after the expiry of 10 days. The party, source said, has the option to keep him under suspension that will keep him under the ambit of party whip in the Rajya Sabha. This will ensure that he does not get to speak on major issues while giving it an opportunity to get him disqualified from the House if he violates the party whip.

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