BJP distances itself from Jolly's protest

The BJP Thursday distanced itself from party leader Vijay Jolly's protest outside former Tehelka managing editor Shoma Choudhury's residence, saying it did not have the party's backing.

"BJP has no relation with this protest, it was not organised by us. It is an action done by some people in enthusiasm," BJP in-charge for Delhi elections and former party president Nitin Gadkari said Thursday.

"The party will speak to Jolly and take the necessary action," Gadkari said.

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj went ahead and "condemned" the action.

"Party president (Rajnath Singh) will take action against him, but I totally condemn it," the BJP leader said at a press conference.

"I will never agree with this method of protest. Both Arun Jaitley and I had told Jolly not to stage such a protest," she said.

BJP leader Vijay Jolly and party workers Thursday defaced the name plate and also poured black paint in front of the residence of Tehelka's former managing editor Shoma Chaudhury.

The Bharatiya Janata Party leader said Chaudhury was suppressing facts and evidence against the magazine's former editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal, accused of sexually assaulting a junior woman colleague.

Choudhury resigned as Tehelka managing editor Thursday morning.