Minister Aryadan justifies action against Mustafa
Mustafa had called Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi a joker
Thiruvananthapuram: Congress leader and state Power Minister Aryadan Mohammad has justified the suspension of Congress leader T.H. Mustafa from the party for calling Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi a ‘joker.’ The action was taken against him for indulging in anti-party activities, Mr Aryadan told reporters on Friday.
The minister also said that the suspension of the veteran leader does not amount to “punishment.” A disciplinary action cannot be construed as a punishment, he added.
Mr Mustafa, former minister in the K. Karunakaran ministry in the early 1990s, was suspended from the party on Thursday for blaming Mr Rahul Gandhi for the worst electoral debacle suffered by the Congress in the Lok Sabha polls. Mr Mustafa said that Mr Rahul Gandhi, who acted more like a joker during the campaign, should be removed from the post of vice-president if he failed to submit his resignation.