Haryana minister Anil Vij on Wednesday said that he has submitted his response to the show cause notice issued by the BJP for allegedly breaching party discipline through his remarks targeting Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and state BJP chief Mohan Lal Badoli.
Vij, who holds the energy and transport portfolios, submitted his eight-page reply on Tuesday night.
'I have submitted my reply'
Speaking to reporters here, Vij said he was in Bengaluru for three days and returned Tuesday evening. "Before the deadline, I have submitted my reply. In my reply, I mentioned that if they (party) needs an answer to anything else, I will give that too," he said.
When asked if he could share details of his reply with the media, Vij quipped, "It (the reply) has been sent in a sealed envelope and cannot be disclosed in public."
To another question, Vij, while referring to the show cause notice to him by the party, said, "How that came in the media, this needs to be probed. How a secret communication got leaked before the media, if party wants they should get it probed". Vij said even before he received a copy of the notice he came to know about it through the media.
Show cause notice to Anil Vij
The BJP on Monday served the notice to the 71-year-old Vij on the instructions of the BJP national president and the party had sought a written reply from the minister within three days.
In the notice issued to Vij on Monday, Badoli said, "It is informed that you have recently made public statements against the party (state) president (Badoli) and the chief minister's post. These are serious allegations and are against the party's policy and internal discipline".
"We expect you to give a written explanation on this subject within three days," it mentioned.
Vij's statements against Haryana CM, BJP chief
Speaking in Ambala on January 31, Vij expressed his frustration over the lack of action against those who allegedly worked against him in the elections. He stated, "I had submitted a written complaint against those who tried to defeat me—be it officials, employees, or small-time leaders. It has been 100 days, yet neither have I been asked about it nor has any action been taken. I suspect that someone big was behind this conspiracy to defeat me." "Taking a direct jab at CM Saini, Vij added, "Since becoming Chief Minister, he has been constantly flying in 'udankhatola'... He should come down and look at the public. This is not just my voice, it is the voice of all MLAs and ministers," Vij alleged.
Last month Vij said Mohan Lal Badoli should resign from the post of state BJP chief to maintain the "sanctity" of the party till he is found innocent. His statement came after Badoli was booked in connection with a gang rape case. Badoli and singer Rocky Mittal were booked after a woman alleged that she was raped by them in a hotel in Himachal Pradesh's Kasauli. Police had registered an FIR against them.
(With PTI inputs)
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