BJP was left red-faced after one of its lawmakers from Uttar Pradesh made fun of prime minister Narendra Modi's appeal to the people to ''clap and bang utensils'' to show their support for the health workers fighting the COVID 19.

Saffron party MLA Rakesh Rathore, a lawmaker from Sadar assembly seat in Sitapur district, about 90 kilometres from here, was caught on tape ridiculing the appeal of Modi and stating that it was an attempt to divert the attention of the people from the failures of the government.

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Rathore was served a show-cause notice by the UP BJP after the audio went viral on the social networking sites.

In the audio clip, the MLA, who was speaking to an acquaintance of his, was heard saying that the eunuchs clapped and sought money from the people, whenever someone was born in the family.

''They (govt) want you to clap, bang utensils, blow conch shells....you (public) keep on doing that....you will not think about anything else..your employment has been snatched,'' Rathore was heard saying in the audio.

An embarrassed BJP issued a show-cause notice to the MLA.

The opposition parties had also criticised the prime minister's appeal and had asked him to focus on improving the health services instead. Modi had last month made the appeal.