"Lahore Keeping An Eye On Polls In Rajasthan's Tonk": BJP MP Sparks Row

Lahore is keeping an eye on elections in Rajasthan and Tonk, BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri, who recently courted controversy over his derogatory remarks in Parliament against BSP MP Danish Ali, said at a meeting of party workers.

"We will have to see whether laddus will be distributed in the country or in Lahore after the elections on the 25th... The enemy sitting outside the country is keeping an eye on this election. It is a question of our identity," Mr Bidhuri said while addressing a youth workers' meeting organised by BJP candidate in Tonk Ajit Mehta on Tuesday night. A video purportedly of Mr Bidhuri's remarks at the meeting appeared on social media on Thursday.

Sitting Congress MLA and former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot is contesting from Tonk, which has a sizeable population of Muslim voters.

"The whole country is eagerly watching this election. Not just the country, Lahore is keeping an eye on elections in Rajasthan and Tonk. Who gives shelter to PFI people? When PFI people are caught, who provides them food? People sitting in Tonk feed them," he alleged, referring to the banned radical Islamic outfit Popular Front of India.

Participating in a discussion in Lok Sabha on September 21, Mr Bidhuri had fired a volley of objectionable words at Ali, sparking outrage. The BSP MP was later accused by some BJP members of instigating Mr Bidhuri with remarks against the Prime Minister.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla had warned Mr Bidhuri of strict action if such remarks were repeated but the opposition parties had demanded strict action against the BJP MP, including expulsion.

Mr Bidhuri's derogatory comments were condemned by his party colleagues as well, with BJP president JP Nadda issuing a show-cause notice to him.

However, nearly a week later, the South Delhi MP, who is a Gujjar leader, was appointed as Tonk district election incharge in Rajasthan, where voting will be held on November 25. Opposition leaders had hit out at the BJP, alleging the party "rewards hate".

"Terrorists like Hamas have an eye on this region that if someone dies in an accident, his family is given a job and Rs 50 lakh... and if an innocent Kanhaiya is murdered, then there is talk of giving Rs 5 lakh as alms," Mr Bidhuri is heard saying in the video.

Kanhaiya Kumar, a tailor in Udaipur, was murdered on June 28 last year by two cleaver-wielding men who accused him of insulting Islam.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)