Examiner Bureau | Anantnag:
A fresh internal row has erupted within the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Anantnag unit after a suspended party worker alleged that a senior local functionary demanded around ₹8.25 lakh under the pretext of arranging jobs, administrative permissions, and party-related logistics.
The allegations follow days after the J&K BJP suspended nine office-bearers over an unauthorized August 5 “Tiranga rally” in Anantnag, where certain participants allegedly raised derogatory slogans targeting Kashmiri women.
Afzal Waheed, one of the suspended workers, accused Anantnag BJP district general secretary Arif Hussain Langroo of asking him to arrange funds. Waheed claimed the money was solicited in exchange for opportunities, including Special Police Officer (SPO) positions and assignments under the MY Bharat initiative.
Waheed further alleged the ₹8.25 lakh figure included payments requested for Amarnath Yatra accommodations and administrative permissions, alongside personal guarantees he provided for furniture at the local BJP office.
“I have already submitted a complaint to the SSP Anantnag,” Waheed stated. “I want the administration to conduct a proper inquiry… to establish whether money was taken for permissions and other work and where that money went.”
The financial claims remain unverified, and no formal findings have been issued by law enforcement or administrative authorities.
However, The BJP leadership swiftly dismissed the charges. Anantnag BJP district president Rakesh Kaul rejected the claims regarding administrative permissions, emphasizing that such approvals fall strictly under official government domain.
“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.
Kaul also downplayed the impact of the dispute on the party’s standing. “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,” he added.
The latest financial controversy is rooted in the disciplinary action taken after an August 5 rally at Housing Colony, Khanabal, organized to mark the anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370.
Led by former MLC Sofi Mohammad Yousuf, the event sparked widespread outrage across Jammu and Kashmir after participants raised derogatory slogans referencing Kashmiri women. Distancing itself from the incident, the J&K BJP stated the remarks were made by individuals and did not reflect the party’s ideology. The party subsequently suspended nine office-bearers from primary membership pending further inquiry.
Addressing the media following their suspension, several workers offered public apologies for the objectionable slogans but maintained that their removal was tied to internal complaints they had raised regarding local leadership. They alleged that raising a “corruption alarm” made them targets within the district setup.
The unfolding situation has also drawn attention to the role of former MLC Sofi Mohammad Yousuf, who reportedly led the rally. While nine office-bearers face suspension, no formal action against Yousuf has been announced to date.
While the corruption allegations remain unverified and denied by the party, the sequence of events points to a widening internal fracture within the Anantnag BJP unit amid heightened public and political scrutiny.
