The Bahujan Samaj Party on Saturday suspended its Lok Sabha MP Danish Ali for alleged anti-party activities, ANI reported.

“You [Ali] were told verbally many times that you should not make any statement against the party’s ideologies, policies, but despite that you have been continuously doing so,” Bahujan Samaj Party’s National General Secretary Satish Chandra Mishra said in a letter to Ali.

The party, however, did not elaborate based on what alleged anti-party activity it took the action.

His suspension on Saturday comes as the MP continues to seek action against the Bharatiya Janata Party legislator Ramesh Bidhuri who used communal slurs against him inside Parliament in September.

Bidhuri, an MP from South Delhi, made the communal remarks on September 21 during a debate in the Lok Sabha on the success of India’s Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission. Bidhuri had called Ali “mullah terrorist”, “pimp” and “katwa”, a slur used for circumcised Muslims.

On Friday, during the Winter Session of Parliament, Ali wore a placard around his neck that read: “Don’t turn victim into culprit”.

Ali was protesting the expulsion of Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra from the Lok Sabha due to allegations in the cash-for-query case.

On December 4, Ali had worn another set of placards that read: “Punish Bidhuri. Save democracy.”

Reacting to his suspension, Ali denied indulging in anti-party activities.

“She [party chief Mayawati] also made me the leader of BSP parliamentary party,” Ali said. “I always received her immense affection and support. Her decision today is unfortunate. I did all the hard work, worked diligently to strengthen the BSP and never indulged in any kind of anti-party activities.”

He said, “The people of my Amroha area are witness to this. I have definitely opposed the anti-people policies of the BJP-led government and will continue to do so.”

Ali said that he had raised voice against “the loot of public wealth by a few crony-capitalists” and will continue to do so.

“Because this is true public service,” he said. “If doing this is a crime, then I have committed this crime, and I am ready to face the punishment for it. I want to assure the people of Amroha that I will always be at your service.”

Ali is the Lok Sabha MP from Uttar Pradesh’s Amroha Lok Sabha constituency. He had joined the Bahujan Samaj Party ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. He was previously the general secretary of the Karnataka-based Janata Dal (Secular), which is led by former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda.

He had joined the Bahujan Samaj Party as part of a political arrangement between the Janata Dal (Secular) and the former Chief Minister Mayawati-led party. Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy had said at the time that it was “a thoughtful political decision” made by the two parties to win more seats in the general election.

Ali was reportedly instrumental in forging an alliance with the Congress following the 2018 Assembly elections in Karnataka. He was also involved in seat-sharing negotiations between the two parties for the Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka.

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