Terming the video as "forged", Purohit said in a statement, "the voice in it is not mine. The matter should be investigated forensically. I hold both Modi and Amit Shah in high esteem."
Purohit had allegedly said in the sting video that only two people take decisions in the BJP and others only implement it.
"There is no collective leadership in the BJP. Only two people take decisions and others merely implement it. Collective leadership is a farce," Purohit purportedly said in the video.
"Raj Thackeray is bogus. He is not a leader. He is just a caste leader," the video shows Purohit as saying.
"Injustice is being done to me. I am one of the senior most people in the BJP. I should have been a minister, next to Eknath Khadse," the MLA said.
Purohit also alleged in the video that Mumbai BJP MLA Mangal Prabhat Lodha had gotten hold of late BJP leader Pramod Mahajan's "huge money", which Lodha had ulitised for elections.
Criticising the Modi government's decision, Purohit said "banias" (traders) who are BJP supporters are unhappy about Permanent Account Number (PAN) being made mandatory for gold purchases of over Rs 1 lakh.
Reacting to what Purohit said in the sting video, Maharashtra state BJP unit president Raosaheb Danve said, "If the truth is established and if he has violated party discipline, the matter will be taken up before the BJP disciplinary committee and he will be expelled from the party."
"The veracity of the sting operation needs to be verified. Raj Purohit will have to be called and asked to explain. I called him up after returning to Mumbai from Nagpur. He is not here," Danve said.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
