Here’s what you must know about BJP’s new spokesperson Tajinder Pal Bagga and his past violent acts

Bagga came into limelight in 2012 for slapping lawyer and then anti-corruption activist Prashant Bhushan for talking in favour of plebiscite in Kashmir.

By: Somi Das |
March 15, 2017 11:18 am

It is the best time for a person to be in BJP. Back to back electoral victories, the crown of UP on its head and wresting power from Congress in two states where it didn’t even have a majority. It seems there is nothing the BJP can do wrong. And then comes a reality check. It appoints Tajinder Bagga as its spokesperson. BJP leaders including Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu congratulated him. This means not only will we see him on our Twitter timelines but also on Television studios.

Thanks @narendramodi ji, @AmitShah ji & @ManojTiwariMP ji for having faith in me & giving me the opportunity to be Spokesperson of BJP Delhi

— Tajinder Pal S Bagga (@TajinderBagga) March 14, 2017

Thanks sir https://t.co/DC0JOblAQb

— Tajinder Pal S Bagga (@TajinderBagga) March 15, 2017

Congrats @TajinderBagga for new responsiblity @BJP4India @BJPForDelhi @ManojTiwariMP

— Suresh Prabhu (@sureshpprabhu) March 14, 2017

Now, here’s something you must know about Tajinder Bagga and his violent past. Bagga came into limelight in 2012 for slapping lawyer and then anti-corruption activist Prashant Bhushan for talking in favour of plebiscite in Kashmir. He spent three days in Tihar jail for this act. On Twitter, however, he became a celebrity among the bleeding heart ‘desh bhakts’. He had been a member of the BJP earlier too. However, he quit the party because it wouldn’t be possible to resort to violence while being a part of the party. In an interview to Newslaundry in 2012, he said: “You have to take permission from party authorities for everything, for every activity. I cannot fight against anti-nationals if I have to take permission for everything. So I quit.” He formed his own organisation Bhagat Singh Kranti Sena that threatened anti-nationals of being a victim of his “khoon ki holi”.

After attacking Bhushan, he stood by his act and tweeted this:

He tried (sic) to break my nation, I tried to break his head. Hisab chukta. Congrats to all. Operation Prashant Bhushan successful.

We hit Prashant Bhushan hard in his chamber in the Supreme Court. If you will try to break my nation, I will break your heads.

Public endorsement of violence. You hear it right.

Now, we have a spokesperson of the ruling party who doesn’t want to fight opposing political views with words but with violence.

Does tagging the people in the Opposition, ‘anti-national’ legitimise the violence of your politics?

He is also known for his violent protests against Arundhati Roy’s book Broken Republic event. He also claimed credit for attacking separatist Syed Ali Shah Geelani. He also threatened social activist Swami Agvinesh that he will make him drink his urine for commenting on reports about Visva-Bharati University being forced to do the same.

He also courted controversy for attacking tennis player Sania Mirza for marrying Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik.

He has been acknowledged by the BJP party as a major social media influencers for his Twitter rants and running a web paper called NaMo Patrika. He was invited by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015 for an event called #Super150 – an event to acknowledge the contribution of social media soldiers, who may not be members of the party.

We hope that as the official spokesperson of the party, better sense prevails over Bagga.