Rs 1 cr for whoever slaps Lalu Yadav's son Tej Pratap, announces BJP leader

Patna: A BJP leader on Friday announced a "reward" of Rs one crore to anyone who slaps RJD leader Tej Pratap Yadav for his objectionable comments against Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi.

However, the BJP state unit distanced itself from the comments and issued a statement condemning the remarks of Anil Sahni, the party's media in-charge for the Patna district.

The BJP said it will take disciplinary action against Sahni for his "reckless utterances".

"We will give a reward of Rs one crore to anybody who slaps Tej Pratap Yadav. The RJD leader had threatened to thrash our respected Deputy CM inside his house (during the marriage of his son on December 3). We wish to pay Yadav in the same coin," Sahni had said.

"We will also organise demonstrations in front of Yadav's house to put pressure on him to apologise to Sushil Modi," he had said.

The BJP leader was reacting to a recent video footage in which Yadav, the elder son of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad and a former state minister, was purportedly shown threatening to disrupt Sushil Modi's son's marriage and using the words "ghar mein ghus kar maarenge (will beat inside his house)".

Yadav's comments drew strong reaction from Sushil Modi, who urged Lalu Prasad to persuade his son against making provocative speeches.

However, in response to Sahni's remarks, a strongly-worded statement was issued by BJP state unit spokesman Suresh Rungta, who said, "Sahni has spoken in his personal capacity. The party condemns his statement and has nothing to do with it".

"The BJP has always been a votary of decorum and decency in public discourse... Sahni will therefore certainly face disciplinary action by the party," Rungta added.