Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Monday asked the BJP to initiate legal proceedings against its now suspended members for hurting religious sensibilities of the people.
In a tweet in Hindi, Mayawati said, "In this matter, the BJP should strictly rein in its people. Merely suspending and expelling them will not do. They should be sent to jail under strict laws." She also demanded a serious probe in the Kanpur violence, and urged the Uttar Pradesh government to not “harass the innocent.” She said all religions should be respected in the country.
The UP Police have arrested 38 people so far in the June 3 Kanpur violence, having booked over 800 people in all under the National Security Act.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav too had on Sunday in a tweet in Hindi asked the BJP to take tough action against Sharma.
"The BJP should not only take 'dikhavati kaaryavahi' (sham action) against Nupur Sharma, but take legal steps," he had said.
The BJP on Sunday suspended its national spokesperson Nupur Sharma and expelled its Delhi media head Naveen Kumar Jindal over their alleged derogatory remarks against Prophet Mohammad, as it sought to defuse a raging row over the issue.
Amid protests by Muslim groups over the remarks which have also caused a stir abroad, especially in the Arab countries, the BJP issued a statement distancing itself from these members.
In the statement, the party said that it respects all religions and strongly denounces insult of any religious personality.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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