Anantnag: Allegations of corruption involving around Rs 8.25 lakh have opened a fresh front within the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Anantnag unit, with a suspended party worker accusing a local BJP functionary of seeking money in the name of permissions, jobs and other opportunities.
The allegations have surfaced days after the BJP suspended nine office-bearers over derogatory slogans targeting Kashmiri women during a Tiranga rally in Anantnag on August 5.
One of the suspended workers, Afdal Waheed, has alleged that Anantnag district general secretary Arif Hussain Langroo asked him to arrange money, claiming it could be used to secure SPO positions, MY Bharat work and other opportunities.
Waheed alleged that around Rs 8.25 lakh was involved, including money he claimed was taken for permissions and accommodation during the Amarnath Yatra, besides expenses related to furniture for the BJP office that he said had been arranged on his guarantee.
“I have already submitted a complaint to the SSP Anantnag. I want the administration to conduct a proper inquiry and bring all the concerned people together so that it can be established whether money was taken for permissions and other work and where that money went,” Waheed said.
The allegations have not been independently established, and the BJP has not accepted them.
BJP Anantnag district president Rakesh Kaul rejected the allegations and questioned the claim regarding permissions.
“Allegations keep coming, but first ask who actually gives permission. Permissions are issued by the administration. The Deputy Commissioner is the competent authority. A permission does not come from Rakesh Kaul or any BJP office-bearer,” Kaul said.
He also said the controversy would not damage the BJP.
“The party will not be damaged by this. Allegations are made even against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but the party has continued to win elections. The party does not get damaged by the actions of a few persons,” Kaul said.
The corruption allegations have emerged after the BJP suspended nine Anantnag office-bearers following a controversial rally held at Housing Colony, Khanabal, on August 5 to mark the seventh anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370.
The rally was led by BJP leader and former MLC Sofi Mohammad Yousuf.
During the rally, some BJP workers allegedly raised derogatory slogans targeting Kashmiri women, using the traditional female names “Aazi” and “Fazi”.
The workers chanted, “Moukloy Aazi hund te Faazi hund izzat” (“The honour of Aazi and Fazi has ended”) in the presence of Yousuf, who did not object to the slogans.
The BJP has so far taken no action against Yousuf, who led the rally.
The slogans triggered widespread criticism from political parties, civil society groups and people across Kashmir.
J&K Health and Education Minister Sakina Itoo condemned the remarks and called for action against those responsible.
National Conference leader Tanvir Sadiq also criticised the slogans, saying the names used referred to Kashmiri mothers and sisters. The PDP, AAP and several civil society groups also condemned the remarks.
As the criticism grew, the J&K BJP distanced itself from the slogans.
BJP spokesperson Altaf Thakur said the remarks made by some individuals did not reflect the party’s ideology or official position. He said the BJP did not endorse defamatory or derogatory remarks against anyone and remained committed to the dignity and empowerment of women.
The Anantnag BJP unit also said the rally was neither organised nor authorised by it.
District BJP president Rakesh Koul said the organisers had not taken permission from the district administration and described the remarks against women as unacceptable and contrary to the party’s discipline and principles.
The BJP subsequently suspended nine office-bearers from its primary membership and removed them from their organisational positions pending an inquiry.
Those suspended included district general secretary Nisar Ahmad Bhat, district secretary Khursheed Ahmad Sofi, district secretary and former vice-president Aabida Rafiq, Shangus constituency president Irshad Ahmad Malik, Mohammad Maqbool Ganie, Pahalgam constituency president Waheed Ahmad Itoo, district secretary Nisar Ahmad Hakeem, Kisan Morcha district secretary Feroz Ahmad Hajam and Mahila Morcha district secretary Sabrooza Akhter.
The party said the action was taken after consultations with senior leaders and the district core committee.
It also clarified that Alveer Ahmad Dar and Fancy Akhter, whose names had surfaced in connection with the rally, were not associated with the Anantnag district unit and held no organisational posts.
The suspended members later addressed the media and apologised for the controversial slogans. At the same time, they alleged that their suspension was linked not only to the slogans but also to complaints they had raised against some local BJP leaders.
They alleged that some leaders had conspired against them after they raised what they described as a “corruption alarm”within the party.
The claims have now turned what began as a slogan controversy into an apparent internal dispute within the Anantnag BJP unit.
The corruption allegations, however, remain unverified. There is no publicly available evidence so far to establish that money was actually taken for jobs, permissions or other opportunities, or that the nine members were suspended because they raised such complaints.
The controversy has also raised questions over the role of Sofi Mohammad Yousuf.
While the BJP has suspended the nine office-bearers, no similar action against Yousuf has been announced so far, despite his reported presence at and leadership of the rally where the controversial slogans were raised.
