Case slapped on BJP leader for announcing bounty on Mamata

A case was slapped on Wednesday on Yogesh Varshney, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) youth wing leader, who announced a bounty of Rs 11 lakh for beheading West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Police said a complaint was filed by Aligarh district Trinamool Congress President Ramphool Upadhyaya at the local Civil Lines Police Station.

The announcement of the bounty by the BJP Yuva Morcha leader on a video created nationwide furore, with party leaders cutting across party lines demanding stringent action against Varshney. The BJP also distanced itself from the controversy by disowning its leader.

The youth wing leader had earlier said that he was deeply hurt at a cane charge on a crowd of Hindus at Birbhum on Tuesday when they had had gathered to celebrate Hanuman Jayanti -- the birthday of Lord Hanuman.

Varshney has since apologised for his statement and withdrawn the bounty announced in the morning.

He told reporters that he made this announcement in a fit of rage and emotional outburst after seeing video footage of the cane charge in West Bengal.

Meanwhile, former legislator of the Samajwadi Party (SP) Jameer Ullah also jumped into the raging controversy on Wednesday evening and sought to get the tongue of the BJP Yuva Morcha leader chopped off.

--IANS

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