Man who announced bounty is now Hry BJP spokesperson

Controversial Rajput leader Suraj Pal Amu, who announced a Rs 10 crore bounty for beheading actor Deepika Padukone ahead of the release of the movie 'Padmaavat' last year, has been made the spokesperson of the BJP in Haryana.

Amu was at the forefront of the protest seeking a ban on the release of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Padmavati', later renamed 'Padmaavat', last November.

Amu had also announced a bounty for beheading Bhansali. The Rajput leader had resigned from the BJP last year after he found little support from the saffron party unit during his agitation. The BJP had issued him a show-cause notice.

The resignation has now been rejected after Amu tendered an apology, BJP sources said. Amu has so far not apologised to any of the actors he had targeted.

The BJP’s decision to take back Amu into the party has been severely criticised with the Opposition leaders questioning his credibility to be appointed to important party posts. Others say a public apology by Amu should have been a pre-condition by the saffron party before rejecting his resignation.

Amu, in fact, was earlier the chief media coordinator of the state unit of the BJP. And after issuing threats to the actors, Amu has now been given the additional responsibility of the party spokesperson.

Member of the Rajput Karani Sena, which Amu heads, were allegedly seen pelting stones at a school bus in Gurugram in the national capital region last year as protests against the release of the movie 'Padmaavat’ turned violent.

Amu shot to limelight after he took a belligerent stand against the release of the movie. Analysts feel the move to elevate Amu could prove counter-productive for the saffron party ahead of Assembly elections in Haryana next year.