New Delhi: BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy has given an ultimatum to the party to remove its information and technology (IT) cell head Amit Malviya by Thursday, a day after he accused the latter of running a campaign against him using fake tweets.
Swamy said removing Malviya is the “compromise proposal” he has made to party president J.P. Nadda. If he is not removed, he said, it would mean the party is not willing to “defend me”.
He also said there is no party forum where he can seek the opinion of the cadre and “hence I will have to defend myself”.
“By tomorrow If Malaviya is not removed from BJP IT cell (which is my five villages compromise proposal to Nadda) it means the party brass does not want to defend me. Since there is no forum in the party where I can ask for cadre opinion, hence I will have to defend myself,” Swamy tweeted Wednesday.
By tomorrow If Malaviya is not removed from BJP IT cell (which is my five villages compromise proposal to Nadda) it means the party brass does not want to defend me. Since there is no forum in the party where I can ask for cadre opinion, hence I will have to defend myself.
— Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) September 9, 2020
ThePrint reached Amit Malviya through phone calls and text messages for a comment but there was no response till the time of publishing this report.
Also read: Subramanian Swamy attacks Amit Malviya, calls for sacking of BJP IT cell members
‘BJP IT cell has gone rogue’
Swamy Monday accused Malviya of running a campaign against him using fake tweets, though he did not specify the issue in detail.
“The BJP IT cell has gone rogue. Some of its members are putting out fake ID tweets to make personal attacks on me,” Swamy tweeted. “If my angered followers make counter personal attacks I cannot be held responsible just as BJP cannot be held responsible for the rogue IT cell of the party.”
Swamy has been at odds with his party’s stance on a number of issues, especially the economy.
He also supported student protests against the Narendra Modi government’s decision to conduct JEE and NEET amid the pandemic, and pitched for postponing the entrance exams for medical and engineering admissions.
The JEE Main was conducted from 2-6 September at centres across India.
On 8 September, Swamy reiterated his demand for postponing NEET, which is scheduled to be held on Sunday, 13 September.
“Now that it has been decided that colleges and institutes will re-open only in January 2021, there is no reason not delay the NEET exams to after Deepavali when the weather will be better and Coronavirus threat lower,” he tweeted.
Now that it has been decided that colleges and institutes will re-open only in January 2021, there is no reason not delay the NEET exams to after Deepavali when the weather will be better and Coronavirus threat lower.
— Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) September 7, 2020
Today in SC when NEET matter comes up it will be K T S Tulsi who will argue the case for students. He is a superb advocate. When I was Law Minister in 1990-91 I had made in Addl Solicitor General. So I know. Thus there is hope. But in life nothing is certain unless it happens
— Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) September 9, 2020
I have just spoken to the Minister of Education suggesting that NEET and other exams be conducted after Deepavali. The SC order the other day is not a bar since the Hon’ble Court has left the date to the government. I am sending an urgent letter to the PM just now.
— Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) August 21, 2020
Also read: First Sushma Swaraj, now Subramanian Swamy. BJP IT cell is cannibalising its own