BJP Addresses Viral Video Controversy: Stands by Senior Leader Kavinder Gupta’s Clarification on Distorted Statement
11-09-2023 : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has responded to a recent controversy surrounding senior party leader and former Deputy Chief Minister, Kavinder Gupta, whose statement on the Yuva Rajput Sabha (YRS) went viral in a distorted form. In a press conference held today, Sunil Sethi, the party’s chief spokesperson and chairman of BJP’s Disciplinary Committee, addressed the issue alongside former Minister and party National Executive Member, Priya Sethi, and former MLA and president of BJP’s SC Morcha, Neelam Langeh.
Sethi began by acknowledging that a video had circulated widely, sparking controversy regarding Kavinder Gupta’s reported statement against the YRS. Gupta, after reviewing the video clips, clarified that his statement had been manipulated through cutting, pasting, and editing to create controversy within society.
Sunil Sethi emphasized that the BJP is a political party that respects every community and every section of society. He noted that the YRS has consistently raised public concerns, and the BJP has never opposed their viewpoints. The party respects the views and stands taken by the YRS on various public issues.
The BJP spokesperson urged the YRS not to take the matter seriously after Kavinder Gupta’s clarification and assured that there should be no doubts in anyone’s mind. He believed that the viral video was being used to create an unnecessary controversy.
Sethi made it clear that even if a party leader makes a statement, it should not necessarily be construed as the official stance of the party. In response to a question about whether the party would take action against Kavinder Gupta, Sethi stated that there was no need for such action. He personally reviewed the video in its entirety before the press conference and believed that the video had been circulated solely to generate unwarranted controversy.
Furthermore, Sethi mentioned that he, in his capacity as chairman of the Disciplinary Committee of the party, had issued a show cause notice to party vice president and former MLC, Sofi Yousf, for his alleged involvement in anti-party activities. Sofi was granted seven days to respond and clarify his position.
The notice served to Sofi Yousf stated, “Despite being a senior leader of the party and currently holding a very senior position, it has come to the notice of the Disciplinary Committee of Jammu Kashmir Bharatiya Janata Party that you are engaging in anti-party activities and displaying significant indiscipline in your political dealings. You have attempted to sow dissent within the party’s ranks with a few others, and an audio recording clip has now surfaced, the contents of which indicate a lack of regard for party discipline and the high principles that form the foundation of the party’s political ideology. Audio clips are being provided to you along with this notice.”
