Acting at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah on Sunday reprimanded certain party leaders for making controversial comments on issues like the Dadri lynching and beef bans, saying it deflected attention from the Centre’s development agenda. Shah reportedly summoned four senior BJP leaders – Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Union Minister Sanjeev Balyan, MP Sakshi Maharaj and MLA from Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Som – and served them a gag order. According to reports, Modi was “upset and distressed” about the divisive and insensitive comments made by the BJP leaders, saying they were harming the party's image and giving political rivals a handle to accuse the ruling coalition of fostering sectarian and intolerant politics.