Gurugram: In a significant development, the Haryana Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has issued a show cause notice to senior minister Anil Vij for “tarnishing the party’s image” with his recent series of controversial remarks about Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and state BJP president Mohan Lal Badoli.
In recent weeks, the Haryana energy, transport and labour minister has openly criticised Saini and Badoli, at one point, even hinting that those who worked against him during the October elections in the state had the patronage of those in power.
In a notice dated 10 February and signed by Badoli, the Haryana unit accused Vij of publicly criticising the party leadership. It said that Vij’s comments not only “undermined the party’s values” but also harmed its “image”, particularly during an ongoing election campaign in neighbouring Delhi.
The show cause notice, shared with the media by BJP’s state media coordinator Ashok Chhabra, demanded a written explanation from Vij within three days, asking him to justify his remarks or face further disciplinary action. Chhabra confirmed this when contacted by ThePrint over call.
Vij didn’t reply to calls from ThePrint for comment. This copy will be updated if and when he responds.
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Speaking out against the CM
On 31 January, speaking to the media in Ambala and later to ThePrint, Anil Vij appeared to be accusing CM Saini of trying to push him out during the Haryana elections.
He said that he had submitted a written complaint to the party about “people who tried to defeat” him in the elections, “whether they were officials, employees, or small-time leaders”, however, no action had been taken yet.
“I suspect that a senior leader orchestrated this effort to defeat me. I was even targeted for an attempt on my life. I am the most senior leader, and if I am saying that attempts were made to defeat me, then immediate action should have been taken,” he said.
“Nothing has been done in 100 days—whether they do it now or not, it doesn’t matter to me anymore.”
He also publicly called out Saini, saying, “Since becoming CM, our Chief Minister has been always on aerial tour on his udan khatola (helicopter). He should come down and focus on the people. This is not just my voice; it is the voice of all MLAs and ministers.”
Before this, Vij did not attend the ‘Janta Darbars’, where Saini allowed Haryana residents to bring their issues to him at his residence, and grievance redressal meetings in Sirsa and Kaithal, saying that his orders were not followed by officers.
Criticism of Badoli
Vij’s first criticisms of Badol came on 15 January, a day after a First Information Report (FIR) in a gang-rape case, filed against the state BJP president in Himachal Pradesh, surfaced. The Haryana minister said the allegations were very serious and hoped that the “BJP high command will soon take note of this and take some action”.
On 18 January and, again, on 2 February, Vij called for Badoli to resign.
“Mohan Lal Badoli should resign from the post of BJP state president. How can a person accused under IPC Section 376D (gangrape of a woman) hold meetings with women?” he said in Gohana, Sonipat.
“Now, we cannot say that women should be banned from the BJP. We are increasing women’s participation by 30 percent. In such a situation, a person accused under Section 376 cannot remain the state president. Even our senior leaders have faced allegations in the past. Even (L.K.) Advani was accused, his name came up, and he resigned. Badoli is not greater than him.”
Vij had also threatened to go on hunger fast like farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal if the work of his constituents was not taken up.
(Edited by Sanya Mathur)
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