BJP suspends Benazir Arfan for flagging Rohangiya issue

GUWAHATI: Benazir Arfan, a woman BJP politician from Assam has been suspended for voicing support for Rohingya Muslim refugees, reported Times of India.

Arfan, a civil engineer by profession and an executive member of BJP’s Mazdoor Morchaa uploaded a post on Facebook about a prayer meeting organised by another Guwahati-based NGO for the Rohingiyas of Myanmar.

She was suspended with immediate effect on charge of flagging Rohangiya issue without taking prior permission from the party.

BJP general secretary Dilip Saikia signed the suspension order.

“Despite being an active BJP member, you posted in social media seeking support for a programme organised by another organisation in connection with a problem related to Myanmar, without initiating any discussion about it in party platforms,” the letter said.

“As this is against party’s principle and ideal, BJP state president Ranjit Kumar Das has instructed the suspension and relieving from all responsibilities of the party,” the order stated.

Arfan, an active campaigner against triple talaq claimed that she was not even given opportunity to explain.

“ I being a triple talaq victim stood by Prime minister, Narendra Modi in his campaign against triple talaq. However now my party has given me talaq without giving an opportunity to explain myself.”

“My only mistake was that I wrote ‘a protest fast’ instead of a ‘prayer meeting’ for Rohingyas, both Hindus and Muslims, who died while fleeing Myanmar. I apologised for the wrong use of words, but the party didn’t listen,” she said.