Haryana minister Anil Vij replies to BJP’s show-cause notice
Seven-time BJP MLA declines to divulge details of reply, but questions how contents of notice for breaching party discipline was leaked to media before it reached him.
Haryana minister and senior BJP leader Anil Vij on Wednesday responded to the show-cause notice issued to him by the BJP over his repeated targeting of chief minister Nayab Singh Saini and state unit chief Mohan Lal Badoli.
The notice was issued to Vij, 71, a seven-time MLA from Ambala cantonment, on Monday on the instructions of BJP national president JP Nadda. The party had sought a written reply from the minister within three days.
Vij, who is the state transport and energy minister, reportedly sent an eight-page reply after a three-day visit to Bengaluru. When reporters asked him to share details of his reply, he declined, saying, “No, that can’t be shared publicly. It is sent in a closed envelope.”
Instead, he raised questions on how “a sensitive document like the notice” was leaked to the media before it reached him. “This needs to be probed. The party has to take a call. I read the notice through the media before receiving it,” he said.
“I was in Bengaluru for three days. I reached home on Tuesday night, took a cold-water shower, had dinner and then sat down to write the reply. I sent it a day before the three-day deadline to respond. I told them if you need any explanation on other issues as well, I can send it,” he said.
Saini played down criticism
The notice issued on Monday said, “It is informed that you have recently made public statements against the party (state) president (Badoli) and the chief minister’s post. These are serious allegations and are against the party’s policy and internal discipline. We expect you to give a written explanation on this subject within three days.”
Chief minister Saini, who had been actively campaigning for the Delhi assembly elections, had sought to play down the issue, saying that Vij being a senior, had the right to say what he feels. To avoid further damage amid the Delhi campaign, the BJP rushed state party affairs in-charge Satish Poonia to meet Vij last week. After the meeting, the minister softened his stand. But once the Delhi elections concluded with the BJP victory, Vij was served the notice.
Last week, Vij had shared pictures claiming “workers” seen with a “friend” of Saini were also seen with an Independent candidate whom he defeated in the assembly polls in October 2024. Vij had won Ambala Cantt constituency for the seventh time after defeating Independent candidate Chitra Sarwara.
On January 31, Vij said it had been more than 100 days since he publicly raised the issue of those, including officials, who played a role in trying to defeat him in the polls but no action was taken against them.
He had also taken a dig at Saini, saying, “Since assuming office, he (Saini) has been on an ‘udan khatola’ (helicopter). If he comes down, he will see the suffering of the people.”
Badoli targeted
Vij had demanded Badoli’s resignation as state BJP chief after he was booked in a rape case to maintain the sanctity of the post till he was found to be innocent in the Himachal Pradesh police investigation into the matter. Last week, six people, including a woman, who had accused Badoli and singer Rocky Mittal of rape, were booked for extortion and criminal intimidation. The Himachal Pradesh Police had filed a cancellation report in a court recently as no truth was found in the allegations and due to lack of evidence.
Vij had earlier remained at loggerheads with the previous BJP government led by Manohar Lal Khattar. Khattar is now the Union power and housing affairs minister.
