BJP to approach President for action against Arvind Kejriwal

The BJP will ask President Pranab Mukherjee and the Election Commission to take action against AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal for accusing a large section of media of indulging in "paid publicity" for BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and threatening to jail them if his party won.

"Threatening media persons with imprisonment and warning them of dire consequences is direct attack on the fourth pillar of democracy and stern action should be taken against it," Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Delhi unit president Harsh Vardhan said Friday.

"BJP will write a letter to the president and Election Commission demanding legal action against Arvind Kejriwal and AAP (Aam Aadmi Party)," he added.

"The government should take strong action against the statements spreading hatred and enmity."

Kejriwal's remarks came at a private Rs.10,000 per plate gala fund-raising dinner at the deluxe Hotel Tuli International in Nagpur late Thursday and came to light when a video of the proceedings leaked out early Friday.

Uproar from media and political parties, the AAP chief was forced to retract his statement.