NEW DELHI, 8 February 2006 — Bollywood actor-turned politician Raj Babbar has hit the headlines for his outbursts against Samajwadi Party (SP) General Secretary Amar Singh. Accusing Babbar of indulging in “indiscipline,” the SP suspended him yesterday from its parliamentary party.
In a letter addressed to Babbar, SP parliamentary party leader Ram Gopal Yadav said: “You have been leveling illogical charges against Amar Singh and also the party. It seems from your statements that you are making such statements at the behest of the Congress party.”
“It has been decided to suspend you from the party for six years,” Yadav said in the letter. A three-member committee, comprising SP parliamentarians Mohan Singh, Shahid Siddiqui and Akhilesh Yadav (son of SP chief and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav) would examine the charges against Babbar, the letter said.
Babbar read out Yadav’s letter to the media and commented sarcastically: “It feels good. I accept this.” Babbar also said that he would fully cooperate with the committee.
Elected twice from Agra constituency, of late Babbar has fueled fire in his party by lashing out at Amar Singh. Describing Amar as a “fixer,” “money bag,” Babbar has accused him of maligning SP’s “socialist” principles by promoting “broker culture” and warming up to the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Babbar has not refrained from commenting on the phone tapping controversy regarding Amar Singh, who has accused the center of tapping his phones and of 70 other politicians. Amar has demanded a judicial probe into phone tapping.
On the controversial phone conversation, allegedly held by Amar, Babbar said: “How do I know (what was the subject of the conversation)? Some people say it is about a talk with some lady, others say the talk was all about a plan to eliminate Mulayam Singh.”
