My expulsion has affected BJP, says Yatnal

Suspended BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal criticizes party's leadership, claims his suspension negatively impacts party's prospects.

“My suspension has affected the State BJP. Its Janakrosha Yatre against the Congress government are not attracting the crowds,” suspended party MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal said in Vijayapura on Tuesday.

He was responding to party State unit president B.Y. Vijayendra‘s claim that Mr. Yatnal’s suspension from the BJP has helped it organise itself better, though it may not have benefited from it.

“Mr. Vijayendra does not want to admit it, but my suspension has negatively impacted the party’s prospects. The Janakrosha Yatre in Vijayapura did not attract a large crowd. There were very few people in the protest venue when Mr. Vijayendra began speaking. Party MP Basavaraj Bommai did not attend the protest rally in Haveri. Similar was the situation in Davangere. The rally supposed to be a protest against the Congress government is in reality a movement to save Mr. Vijayendra’s chair as the State party president,” Mr. Yatnal said.

He said that he has written a letter to the Chief Minister and the Police Department to place strict conditions to allow a protest by some Muslim organisations against him in Vijayapura, planned for April 28.

The protest has been announced by a forum against the alleged insults to Prophet Mohammad by Mr. Yatnal.

Mr. Yatnal has clarified that he wrongly said Mohammad when he wanted to comment about Mohammad Ali Jinnah. He has repeatedly refused to apologise.

“Every one has a right to protest peacefully in a democracy. But the protests must be peaceful and non-violent. If the protest turns violent, then the State government should arrest the protestors. If it causes loss to property of Hindus, then the government should recover the loss from the leaders of the protests. I have asked the State government to obtain bonds of good behaviour by the organisers after depositing money in police stations. If the protestors damage property or injure anyone, then I will organise a Hindutva rally in Vijayapura to counter it later,” Mr. Yatnal said.