New Delhi: Terming it "unacceptable", Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday expressed displeasure with BJP legislator Akash Vijayvargiya, who had thrashed a municipal corporation officer with a cricket bat.
During BJP's Parliamentary Party meeting held today, the Prime Minister said such behaviour is unacceptable, irrespective of whose son he is, sources said.
The Indore-3 legislator and son of senior party leader Kailash Vijayvargiya was recently jailed for thrashing the municipal officer, on an anti-encroachment drive, following a heated argument.
A BJP lawmaker, on condition of anonymity, said, "Prime Minister is very upset with Akash Vijayvargiya for his recent conduct. Prime Minister said that local unit of the BJP should be immediately dissolved for welcoming Akash on coming out of jail."
"PM even said that such leaders should be expelled from the party," the MP added.
Demanding a thorough probe into the matter, Modi said that those backing such behaviour should also be questioned, sources added. He advised party MPs to behave in a "responsible and cordial manner".
Akash had thrashed a Municipal Corporation officer in Indore with a bat and slapped him repeatedly on June 26 and was subsequently arrested for the act.
Akash, while narrating the sequence of events that unfolded before his arrest, had claimed that certain Congress legislators were getting buildings in Indore demolished in connivance with the Municipal Corporation without consulting him.
Despite repeated requests to wait for proper investigation, Akash claimed that the officers paid no heed to his pleas and sent "goons" to evict the people from the building that had to be demolished.
On Sunday, Akash was released from jail on bail and was garlanded upon his release by supporters.
"I am not guilty or embarrassed about what I did as it was in public interest. A woman was being dragged brutally in front of the police and I couldn't think of doing anything else," he had said after being released, adding that he hopes he would not have to pick up the cricket bat again.
Akash's supporters even fired celebratory gunshots outside his office as their leader walked out of prison.
At the first parliamentary party meeting held after he led the BJP to a massive win in the recent Lok Sabha polls, Modi was felicitated by senior leaders.
Party chief Amit Shah and its working president J P Nadda were also felicitated, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi told reporters. Joshi said Modi will launch the BJP's membership drive from Varanasi on July 6 during which, the prime minister told party workers, at least five trees should be planted in every booth across the country.
Modi dubbed the plantation exercise as "panchvati", which according to the Ramayana, was the place where Lord Ram, Sita and Laxman had stayed in exile for 14 years.
In his address, he asked party MPs to ensure their presence in Parliament during the ongoing session and added that they should also dedicate themselves to people's service so that they are known for what they have done for the masses, Joshi said.
He expressed his unhappiness at the poor attendance of party MPs when the triple talaq bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha.
While Modi will launch the membership drive from Varanasi, Shah will kick it off in Telangana and other party leaders in different parts of the country. July 6 is the birth anniversary of BJP ideologue Syama Prasad Mookerjee.
Also read: BJP parliamentary party meeting concludes
