New Delhi, April 18: Momentary loss of speech today replaced the BJP’s full-throated cries of “chaal, charitra aur chehra (ideology, strength of character and morality)”.

Numbed by the arrest of Babubhai Katara for trying to smuggle out a woman impersonating the MP’s wife, party spokesperson Prakash Javadekar mumbled: “This is a serious matter…. Such a man has no place in the party.”

The contrast between the party’s public posturing and the conduct of its MP was a shade too stark. Less than 48 hours ago, Javadekar was holding forth on the “impropriety” of Richard Gere kissing Shilpa Shetty. “It is against Indian culture,” he had declared then.

Today, the BJP leadership rushed to control the damage by awarding “exemplary punishment” — by evening, Katara was suspended from the party.

From the time news of the Katara scandal started flashing on television screens, BJP leaders were busy trying to assess the situation, which arose on the heels of the sex CD scandal involving erstwhile general-secretary Sanjay Joshi.

The leaders kept calling Katara on his mobile phone, which he had switched off after he was detained at the airport.

Soon, it was clear that a police case had been registered, leaving the BJP with little option but to suspend him.

BJP president Rajnath Singh gave clear instructions that the party should take action against Katara on the same day, no doubt keeping in mind the elections in Uttar Pradesh where the party’s rivals are now expected to rub salt into the wound.

However, no leader was ready to comment officially on the day’s events.

Even the usually exuberant Vijay Kumar Malhotra fell silent. “The Dahod MP has been suspended from the party. That is all I have to say,” said a grim-faced Malhotra.

The Congress gleefully compared the Katara episode to the Monica Bedi case. Like Katara, who has been charged with forging a woman’s travel documents, Monica, too, is accused of forging her passport. “This is the true face, nature and character of the BJP,” gushed Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi. “There are many aspects to the case, including moral and criminal.”

The sound-bite soldiers of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) seemed to have gone into hiding. The self-proclaimed protectors of Indian culture and morality did not have a word to offer on the conduct of their activist.

Katara has been an enthusiastic participant in the VHP’s activities in Gujarat. In addition to running educational institutions with the help of the VHP-RSS in the central and eastern tribal belt in Gujarat, Katara belongs to a puritanical religious sect called Gayatri Privar, which prohibits non-vegetarian food, smoking and drinking.

BJP sources said when Katara left Dahod for Delhi, he told his wife Sharadaben that he was going to Ahmedabad and return soon. “His wife had no clue that he was going to Toronto with another woman,” a source said.