Press Trust of India Posted online: Friday, June 24, 2005 at 1625 hours IST Updated: Friday, June 24, 2005 at 1828 hours IST
New Delhi, June 24: In a clear disapproval of his open attack on the party-led Jharkhand government, BJP today made it clear to senior leader Yashwant Sinha that he should raise issues within the party forum and not air them through media.
Notwithstanding the party caution, Sinha insisted today that he was compelled to raise the issue in public as he felt it was his duty to do it.
Embarrassed over his surprise attack on Chief Minister Arjun Munda charging his government with corruption, which had come on top of his criticism of party president L K Advani during the recent leadership crisis, party spokesman Arun Jaitley said "... Sinha is advised that if he has to raise any of these subjects, he should do so within the party forum and not through the media".
Jaitley's remarks came after Advani's discussions with general secretary Rajnath Singh, who had earlier talked to Sinha on his criticism yesterday.
Sinha had recently raised the hackles of the party when he had termed Advani's remarks on Jinnah as unnecessary and doubted whether he would be effective as the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha after his resignation as party president.
Jaitley, who had also talked to Sinha, said the former minister should keep in mind that only two months ago Arjun Munda had got a mandate to rule again.
The spokesman said Sinha told the party that his intentions were to highlight some subjects to improve the performance of the party's government in Jharkhand.
Referring to the advice of restraint, Jaitley hoped that "Sinha will see virtue in this advice".
Asked if Sinha's outbursts amounted to indiscipline, Jaitley evaded a direct reply saying that he would not say anything more. He has not levelled any personal allegation against anybody, he added.
Meanwhile, Sinha said, "I felt it was my duty to raise problems. I have raised it within the party and I have been compelled to raise this in public now."
Asked about the possibility of a disciplinary action against him, he said he had raised the issue in the party and it was for it to decide. "I have nothing to say."
New Delhi, June 24: In a clear disapproval of his open attack on the party-led Jharkhand government, BJP today made it clear to senior leader Yashwant Sinha that he should raise issues within the party forum and not air them through media.
