On the defensive, Shah reads out riot act to provocative leaders

Facing widespread criticism for the ill-timed and provocative statements made by some party leaders after the incident of lynching of a Muslim man in Dadri town in NCR over beef rumours, which dented the Prime Minister’s image both at home and abroad, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah on Sunday held a meeting with Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar and other party leaders caught in the controversy.

However, matters were made worse for BJP with RSS organ Panchjanya professing punishment for cow killers. On Saturday, a key alliance partner of the BJP Shiromani Akali Dal too demanded that the party leadership must take strict action against those have made “irresponsible statements” on Dadri.

Those summoned by Amit Shah at party headquarters on Sunday included Khattar, Union Ministers Mahesh Sharma and Sanjay Baliyan, party MP Sakshi Maharaj and party MLA Sangeet Som. The statements made by these leaders had kick-started the controversy leading to authors returning their Sahitya Akademi Awards, blaming the mood of “intolerance” in the country.

 Shah during the meeting reportedly conveyed the PM’s unhappiness to them, sources said. The <g data-gr-id="22">leaders however</g> maintained it was a routine engagement. “I came to discuss regional issues and was not asked for any clarification,” said Sakshi Maharaj. But when asked about the agenda, he added, “Every action has a reaction, I had taken action so there was a reaction.”

Modi, who was criticised by the Opposition for his silence on the issue, had spoken out at a rally in Bihar on October 8, a day after President Pranab Mukherjee called for amity. While the PM did not mention Dadri, he had referred to the President’s words and underscored that Hindus and Muslims should fight poverty and not each other.