Dilip Ghosh, a national vice-president of the BJP, was asked by the central leadership with “deep anguish and concern” through a letter on Tuesday to refrain from speaking publicly about his colleagues in the party.
Although Ghosh said he hadn’t received the letter and questioned its veracity, sources in Delhi confirmed its authenticity to this newspaper.
Ghosh has publicly been critical of the people currently at the helm of the BJP in Bengal and the way the state unit has been functioning.
“On the instruction of Hon’ble National Vice President Shri JP Nadda Ji, I wish to convey to you Party’s deep anguish and concern at issuance of such statements and advise you to always refrain from going to the media or any public fora, about your own colleagues either in the state of West Bengal or anywhere else,” the letter addressed to Ghosh and undersigned by Arun Singh, a national general secretary of the party, read.
The letter does acknowledge Ghosh’s “absolute commitment” to the BJP. However, it says “some avoidable instances” of sudden outbursts or statements from Ghosh have angered his colleagues in the state as well as embarrassed the central leadership.
Ghosh, however, said he had received no such letter. He added that it was unlikely that a letter such as that would be written to him — a vice-president — by a national general secretary.
“Such a letter is supposed to be written by Naddaji. I have not received anything as of now,” he told The Telegraph. He also questioned the veracity of the letter.
However, sources said the letter was genuine and had been written under instructions from the party’s national general secretary (organisation) B.L. Santosh.
Santosh had reportedly taken up the matter after he had received repeated complaints against Ghosh.
“It looks that the party wants to remove Dilipda from the memories of the people in Bengal. The BJP wants to come out of the Dilip Ghosh hangover and wishes to present to Bengal a fresh set of leaders who are civil and educated,” a state BJP office-bearer said.
