Suspended Bahujan Samaj Party MP Danish Ali on Saturday spoke to news agency ANI and termed the decision of his suspension as ‘unfortunate.’ Ali said he never engaged in any anti-party activities as claimed by BSP. “…Her (BSP chief Mayawati’s) decision is unfortunate. I have never engaged in any kind of anti-party activities. The people of Amroha are witness to this,” Ali said.

“I have opposed the anti-people policies of the BJP’s government and will continue to do so…If doing this is a crime, then I have committed this crime, and I am ready to face the punishment for it…” he added.

Danish Ali’s statement came after he was suspended from BSP on Saturday for allegedly being involved in anti-party activities. A letter put forth by the BSP to Danish Ali on Saturday read, “It was made clear to you earlier itself to not indulge in anti-party activities… You were given the ticket from the party on Deve Gowda’s insistence who assured that you will always follow the party line. However, it seems you have forgotten the promises made by you while joining the party. Therefore, you are being suspended.”

The letter however did not cite any specific incident for the MP’s suspension.

READ | BSP suspends MP Danish Ali for anti-party activities, Congress bats for him

Danish Ali reportedly engaged in talks with several prominent opposition leaders following BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri’s statements against him in parliament. “Decorum in Parliament died in September… it was bombed when Ramesh Bidhuri made those comments… Today, (Mahatma) Gandhi and Ambedkar are crying,” Ali said earlier.

BJP MP Bidhuri sparked controversy after he hurled communal slurs at Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) parliamentarian Danish Ali during a discussion in the Lok Sabha on September 22. After the incident, Ali sought a privilege probe against Bidhuri. “During the course of his speech, he directed the most foul, abusive invectives against me which are part of the record of the Lok Sabha,” Ali’s letter to Speaker Om Birla said.

The Lok Sabha privileges committee, chaired by BJP MP Sunil Kumar Singh, convened on Thursday to gather statements from Bidhuri and Ali, given the various accusations exchanged between them. Bidhuri expressed apologies to the privileges committee for his inappropriate, offensive, and abusive remarks directed at Bahujan Samaj Party MP Danish Ali.