Nadda asks Giriraj Singh, others to desist from making controversial statements

Union Minister Giriraj Singh was summoned by BJP chief Jagat Prakash Nadda, who advised him not to make any controversial or negative statement as it may hurt the interest of the party. The meeting between the two leaders took place after Union Home Minister Amit Shah, during a TV show, accepted that controversial statements by the BJP leaders in the run-up to Delhi Assembly election may have proved counterproductive.

New Delhi: Union Minister Giriraj Singh, infamous for his controversial remarks, was on Saturday summoned by BJP president Jagat Prakash Nadda.

According to sources, the minister, who made a number of statements that went against the interest of the party in the Delhi Assembly election, sat in the meeting for over half an hour and he was advised to desist from making any comment that may prove harmful for the party or the government as a whole.

The BJP chief, instead, advised him and other party leaders to talk about the work, policies and plans of the government, the sources added.

A few days ago, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, while interacting with the press, had said that controversial statements went against the overall interest of the party in the just concluded Delhi Assembly polls.

Shah had also advised the leaders not to make such comments.

Recently, Giriraj Singh triggered a controversy by claiming that Islamic seminary Deoband in Saharanpur was a factory producing terrorists. He termed it as "aatankvaad ki Gangotri".

Deoband has seen fierce anti-CAA protests by Muslim women over the past months and has faced attack from BJP leaders. Earlier, Giriraj Singh had alleged that 'suicide bombers' were being raised in Shaheen Bagh.