BJP lawmaker dances with guns in hand on video, gets a rap on knuckles

india

Updated: Jul 11, 2019 07:33 IST

A video of the BJP’s Uttarakhand legislator Kunwar Pranav Singh ‘Champion’ dancing with guns in his hands to a Bollywood film song has gone viral on social media, prompting the party to threaten action against the controversial leader.

The video, uploaded on social media platform on Tuesday, shows Pranav Singh ‘Champion’ brandishing several revolvers and a rifle as he dances to a Bollywood item number and uses obscene language.

Wearing a black vest and white trousers, Pranav Singh Champion is also seen taking a sip of a drink in the video. Several other people are also seen dancing in the 1 minute 45 second-video tweeted by news agency Asian News International (ANI).

“We will look into the matter and also verify if the weapons are licensed or not,” a police officer was quoted as saying by ANI.

BJP MLA Pranav Champion who was recently suspended from the party for threatening a journalist, seen in a viral video brandishing guns. Police says, "will look into the matter and also verify if the weapons are licensed or not." (Note: Abusive language) pic.twitter.com/AbsApoYR2g — ANI (@ANI) July 10, 2019

‘Champion’, however, said that the video was shot three years ago when he was in the Congress party.

“They fished out this three-year-old video just to malign my image with a malicious, ulterior motive,” he said indicating at his detractors during a press conference at his residence in Dehradun on Wednesday.

‘Champion’ has been recovering from a leg surgery after he slipped during a visit to a temple recently and is bed-ridden.

“How can I dance when I have been in bed from last 20 days and the doctors have advised me bed rest for another 15 days?” he asked.

“The video has been tampered with and it’s not my voice,” he reacted to charges that he is using abusive language in the video.

Shyam Jaju, the national vice-president of the BJP said while interacting with reporters in Haridwar that he has recommended ‘terminating’ the MLA for which a report has been sent to the central leadership for a final call.

“We are going to serve him a notice asking why he should not be terminated from the party. Our party mandate is discipline and we will not allow anyone violating it,” Ajay Bhatt, the BJP’s state unit president, said earlier.

This is not the first time ‘Champion’ has landed in a controversy.

The Khanpur MLA was suspended from the party in June for three months after he allegedly threatened a journalist. After his fight with another BJP legislator Deshraj Karnwal, the BJP had served notices to both the MLAs.

Champion was among the nine MLAs who rebelled against former chief minister Harish Rawat in 2016 and joined the BJP.