BJP suspends spokesperson Anil Saumitra for calling Gandhi the 'father of Pakistan'

The BJP has suspended its Madhya Pradesh spokesperson Anil Saumitra after he called MK Gandhi the father of the nation of Pakistan on social media, and then refused to delete his post. The party has asked him to submit an explanation within a week.

Saumitra had made his post on Facebook late on Thursday. "He was the father of the nation, but of Pakistan. Crores of sons like him have been born in India. Some worthy, other not," read his post.

The Madhya Pradesh unit of the BJP on Friday suspended him from primary membership of the party, and asked him to explain himself within seven days.

Saumitra doubled down later, refusing to delete his post. He instead posted a note to mediapersons attempting to draw a line of distinction between the stance of his party and his own personal views. He also characterised the controversy caused by his remarks as a conspiracy.

Saumitra's remarks forced the BJP into damage control for the second time in as many days. On Thursday, the party distanced itself from the remarks of its candidate for Bhopal, Pragya Singh, who characterised Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse as a 'deshbhakt', or patriot.

The BJP had asked Pragya Singh to apologise publicly for her remarks. She submitted her apology to the party's state leadership on Thursday evening. However, other BJP leaders had by then waded into the controversy, backing Pragya Singh's remarks with their own salvos.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah on Friday took strong lines against the remarks. Shah said the issue had been forwarded to the party's disciplinary committee. Modi however was more direct. "Whatever statement has been made with regards to Gandhiji and Godse ...this is very very bad… this needs utter condemnation from all quarters… In a civilised society such language is not acceptable... She has apologised but, I will not be able to forgive her," he said.

The BJP will be hoping that the public castigation of this point of view by both Modi and Shah would prevent other leaders of the party from uttering similar comments.