Political party BJP yesterday expelled India’s oldest active lawyer and former law minister Ram Jethmalani from its primary membership for six years, over alleged anti-party comments made by him. [BS]

Jethmalani called the decision of the party “stupid” and analogous to “committing suicide”.

BJP had issued a 25 November dated show cause notice to Jethmalani for criticizing the party leadership and demanding the resignation of party president Nitin Gadkari.

Senior party leader Ananth Kumar yesterday wrote to Jethmalani:

“You have failed to show any sufficient cause for challenging the authority and legitimacy of the party by stating the BJP leadership has no guts to take action against you.”

Extracts from Jethmalani’s reply to the expulsion notice:

“There are, doubtless, undesirable persons within the Party who are determined to destroy its image for integrity and attachment to national service.”

“You have not referred to the letters written even before the expulsion notice was received by me and those written on more than one occasion after the actual service of the show cause notice. I have pointed out that disciplinary powers under the constitution are vested in the Disciplinary Committee. You do not have a Disciplinary Committee. Your action shows incompetence and contempt for law. I will leave you to the judgment of the nation. Of course, I will release all the letters which I have written to you time to time after the service of the show cause notice. I had asked for some documents which are referred to in some rules of your Party. They were never supplied inspite of demand and I wanted a hearing which has been denied.”

“By this stupid order of expulsion, the Party has committed suicide. It will only bring joy to our corrupt rulers and few of their corrupt collaborators within the Party. If you are determined to commit suicide, even the gods cannot salvage you.” [Full Text via @Sumit_Nagpal]