BJP minister in Haryana demands resignation of party’s state chief over gangrape allegations

Anil Vij, a minister in the Bharatiya Janata Party government in Haryana, on Sunday called for the resignation of his party’s state unit president Mohan Lal Badoli, who has been booked for the alleged gangrape of a woman, reported The Indian Express.

“He is an accused under Section 376D [Indian Penal Code section pertaining to gangrape],” Vij was quoted as saying by the newspaper. “How can such a person chair a meeting of women? To uphold the party’s principles, he should step down immediately.”

Vij, who holds the labour, energy and transport portfolios, added: “Even our senior leaders, like Advani Ji, resigned when allegations were made against them. He is not above them.”

Badoli and singer Rocky Mittal were booked in a gangrape case in Himachal Pradesh in December. Both of them have denied the allegations.

Badoli became the Haryana BJP chief in July, ahead of the Assembly polls. He was the MLA from the Rai constituency between 2019 and October 2024 and had lost the Lok Sabha polls from Sonipat in June.

Mittal had joined the Congress in August.

Vij had first said that Badoli should resign from his post on January 18. “I trust he will prove himself innocent in the investigation by Himachal Pradesh Police,” the minister had said. “However, until then, to maintain the sanctity of the…

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