BJP must stop formality, arrive at substantive step: Congress

The Congress Party on Sunday alleged Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah's move to summon party leaders over their recent controversial statements was a drama and not aimed at arriving at any substantive step.

"Suddenly Mr. Amit Shah wakes up and the Prime Minister still preaches silence. What is the point of Amit Shah raising this issue suddenly? It is clearly not intended to be a real step or a substantive step but some kind of formality," said Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi.

"What is the point of doing drama to sensationalism? What is the point to making symbolic gesture? Some kind of mere formality, which is an empty formality after 15 to 18 months.. You have senior individuals for the last 18 or 15 months with regular monotony. Every week such terrible divisive statements have been coming," he added.

In wake of the controversial comments made by BJP leaders about beef and the Dadri lynching incident, party president Amit Shah today warned them against making such remarks after Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his displeasure.

The leaders summoned by Shah to the BJP Headquarters were Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Union Cultural Minister Mahesh Sharma, BJP MLA Sangeet Som and party MP Sakshi Maharaj.