How far will the sodomy charge on former MP finance minister Raghavji hurt the BJP? Does its 'party with a difference' image take a severe beating? CNN-IBN's Bhopal bureau chief Hemender Sharma joined IBNLive readers for an interaction on the issue.
Q. Will it effect in 2014 Lok Sabha polls? Asked by: Aninda
A. Anandita 2014 is still a long way to go. But before that we have the 2013 MP elections. this surely can have some impact on the MP elections.
Q. How far will the sodomy charge on former MP finance minister Raghavji hurt the BJP? Asked by: HS
A. HS, the case against Raghavji surely has dented the BJP's image in Madhya Pradesh. The BJP calls itself the party with a difference and the opposition Congress party is now going hammer and explaining how the BJP is different. Also the common worker, the karyakarta I guess is feeling humiliated. It is the common worker who has to face the voters.
Q. If Abhishek Manu Singgvi's adventures were kept under wraps by media, than why Raghavji is being discussed so openly. Why is the golden rule that "it's his private life" being applied here? Asked by: S ChaturvediQ. Was the BJP late in taking action on the 79 year old minister? Asked by: Rohit
A. The BJP acted promptly after the complaint was made to the police and after the media picked the story. But no matter how promptly they acted the damage was done. By acting quickly the BJP tried to minimise the damage.
Q. Is it a conspiracy transpired between minister's servant and Congress? Asked by: Santosh, Yavatmal
A. Well this allegation has no basis because a BJP man Shiv Shankar Pateria has already come on record saying he helped the victims make the video CD. This looks like a BJP vs. BJP affair.
Q. Considering that this has come to the light pretty close to polls, can sabotage be ruled out? Asked by: S Chaturvedi
A. S Chaturvedi, nothing can be ruled out at this stage but the chances of sabotage are remote.
Q. What happened to the theory innocent till proven guilty. Why are you and the media assuming Raghavji is guilty? Asked by: Karan Gowda
A. The media is reporting whatever is happening. You can't ignore the fact that Raghavji was the Finance Minister. He is an accused who allegedly sodomised a member of his staff. No one is calling him a convict. The courts will decide on that.
Q. What is wrong with homosexuality? Are we headed the Taliban way where we victimise a man because of his sexual orientation? Asked by: Karan Gowda
A. Karan Gowda the minister allegedly lured the boy by promising him a government job and then sodomised him. It is a criminal offence dealt by section 377 of the Indian Penal Code.
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