Jethmalani challenges BJP to take action against him

A belligerent Bharatiya Janata Party Member of Parliament Ram Jethmalani, who attacked the party for its criticism on the appointment of the new Central Bureau of Investigation director, on Sunday challenged the party leadership to take action against him for his stand on the issue.

"If there is any action taken against me, I will welcome it but I don't think anyone has the guts to take any action against me," he told mediapersons.

Replying to questions, the Rajya Sabha MP said, "I cannot speak for the party. I am a very small person in the party, I can't predict its action but that does not permit me from speaking the truth.

"I have expressed my view and I am very happy that at least 3-4 persons have support me," he said.

On if there were more people in the party having a similar stand, Jethmalani said, "I am sure there are more. I am 100 per cent sure that there are many more, many more but all don't have the capacity to speak the truth publicly and openly."

Actor-turned MP from Patna Sahib, Shatrughan Sinha has joined Jethmalani and Yashwant Sinha in demanding resignation of party President Nitin Gadkari facing allegations of corruption, saying the issue raised by them should be looked at seriously.

"The issue raised by them (Jethmalani and Yashwant Sinha) should be looked at seriously," Sinha had told mediapersons on Saturday in Patna replying to a question whether he agreed with the other two BJP leaders' demand for Gadkari's resignation.

Jethmalani, while demanding Gadkari's resignation, had claimed some other BJP leaders were with him on the demand for Gadkari's exit as party chief.

The advocate-politician, who has embarrassed the BJP earlier by openly demanding Gadkari's resignation, again put the party in discomfiture when he attacked leaders of opposition in Parliament Sushma Sinha and Arun Jaitley for criticising the appointment of new CBI Director Ranjit Sinha and said the government's decision has 'averted national calamity'.

"I was astonished to read that the BJP has attacked the prime minister and the Congress party for what the party calls the fast-tracked appointment of Sinha as the director of the CBI," he said in a letter addressed to Gadkari, copies of which were marked to the prime minister and the media.

"I regret that this criticism is a result of complete ignorance of relevant facts and has been instigated by a most undesirable rival who had to withdraw his petition before the CAT on Saturday as a result of the appointment," he said.

Taken aback by Jethmalani's outburst against the party, the BJP had indicated on Saturday that it may take disciplinary action against him.

"Jethmalani has been making statements against the BJP president and has now spoken against the two leaders of the opposition. We completely deny his charges against them. The party has taken serious note of his statements and strong action will be taken at the appropriate time," BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain had said.