Naqvi defends tweet, says Rajnath unaware of Sabir Ali-Bhatkal's link

BJP vice-president Mukhtar Naqvi defended his tweet calling the party’s latest inductee JD-U leader Sabir Ali, a friend of terrorist Indian Mujahideen chief Yasin Bhatkal in a television interview today. [caption id=“attachment_1285861” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi. AFP[/caption] Speaking to Times Now Naqvi asked how the party could induct a person like Ali who had supported Bhatkal. Saying that the BJP ought to have zero tolerance towards people like Ali, Naqvi defiantly added that it was a mistake that needed correcting. “I have already made my displeasure known,” Naqvi added. He also went on to claim that party president Rajnath Singh was unaware of Ali’s background. Naqvi had tweeted earlier in the evening saying Ali was a friend of the jailed IM chief and that at this rate party would soon accept Ibrahim Dawwod into its fold. Within minutes of him tweeting, several people had retweeted and replied asking if his account had been hacked. He had later deleted the tweet. Naqvi’s tweet comes at a time when several senior BJP leaders openly expressed their displeasure at the some of the new members being welcomed into the party.