New Delhi: Under attack from all quarters, Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah on Sunday summoned Union Minister Mahesh Sharma, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Unnao MP Sakshi Maharaj and Sardhana MLA Sangeet Som following their controversial remarks on beef and the Dadri lynching incident.
The meeting comes in the wake of Prime Minister Narendra Modi being reportedly upset with these leaders for their remarks and had asked Shah to meet them. With Bihar Assembly elections underway, the controversial statements by BJP leaders can also hamper party's prospective in the state.
Not following party's order to refrain from making provocative statement, the leaders embarrassed the party and gave opportunities to the opposition to attack the BJP.
Som said that they were called to discuss party related wok. "We were not called for anything else. There was no other reason behind the meeting," said Som.
Stoking controversy, Khattar had in an interview said Muslims can continue to live in India, but they will have to give up eating beef as the cow is an article of faith.
Khattar reportedly went on to describe the Dadri incident as a 'misunderstanding'. He claimed that the victim made a hurtful comment about cows which led to the attack.
Backing Khattar, Sakshi Maharaja said there was nothing wrong in the statement and has also pitched for a law that provides for death penalty for cow slaughter.
BJP MLA Sangeet Som had stirred a hornet's nest by visiting Bishada village in Dadri where the gruesome murder took place. "Families that indulged in cow slaughter are given protection. The UP government is taking one-sided action. Azam Khan and Asaduddin Owaisi are trying to disturb peace in the area," Som had said.
On September 28, 50-year-old Mohammad Akhlaq was killed over rumours that his family was consuming beef in Bishada village of Dadri in Uttar Pradesh. His 22-year-old son Danish was also grievously injured in the incident.
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