Benezir Arfan, a minority woman leader in Assam has been suspended by the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) state unit for supporting Rohingya refugees.
A woman who was also the BJP’s face in its anti-triple talaq campaign in the state had reportedly written a post requesting people to attend a fast protesting against the treatment given to Rohingyas by the Myanmar government.
The party has suspended her from the executive committee.
According to report, BJP’s state unit general secretary Dilip Saikia sent a letter to Arfan suspending her from the party with immediate effect.
She has also been given three days time to explain why disciplinary action should not be initiated against her.
“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.
However, the woman has claimed that party did not even ask her to explain her position.
“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 told Hindustan Times.
Last week, India strongly rejected the criticism by the UN human rights chief over its handling of Rohingya Muslim refugees.
Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju also said that the chorus of branding India as a villain is a calibrated design to tarnish country’s image.
Some 40,000 Rohingyas have settled in India, and 16,000 of them have received refugee documentation, the UN estimates.
The United Nations have appealed to the entire international community to keep the political differences aside and support the ongoing humanitarian efforts to help Rohingya Muslim refugees.
