'Jinnah should've taken Congress to Pakistan': MP Home Min mocks MLA's 'partition' quip

After Congress MLA Sajjan Singh Verma hailed partition as an act of wisdom, Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra hit out at him on Friday. Verma also triggered a row by calling Muhammad Ali Jinnah a "freedom fighter" and asserted that the definition of a freedom fighter does not change if someone is a Muslim. Addressing a press briefing, Mishra called upon Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi and former MP CM Kamal Nath to explain their connection with Pakistan's founder. Moreover, he jibed that India would have benefited if Jinnah had taken Congress to Pakistan. 

MP Home Minister Narottam Mishra remarked, "Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Kamal Nath should answer what is their 'Sajjan' connection with Jinnah. They should throw light on this. I want to thank Sajjan Bhai because he made it clear that (Pandit Jawaharlal) Nehru and not just Jinnah was responsible for the partition. I said from the beginning that this Gandhi-Nehru family is responsible for the partition of the country. He said that Jinnah did a good thing by dividing India. He would have done more good for the country if he had taken Congress there (Pakistan)." 

Congress MLA stirs controversy

Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Congress MLA Sajjan Singh Verma opined, "On one hand, Mohan Bhagwat said in Chitrakoot recently that he wants to create Akhand Bharat which will include India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Nepal. Today, 25 crore Muslims live in India. Today, 21 crore Muslims live in Pakistan. 11 crore Muslims live in Bangladesh. If the Muslims of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Indonesia become a part of Akhand Bharat, where will Mohan Bhagwat and PM Modi stand?" 

He added, "We must thank Nehru and Jinnah for dividing India into two parts. If you are a Muslim and you want to go to Pakistan, you can do so. If you are a Hindu and you want to go to India, you can do so. On one hand, they are blaming Nehru and Jinnah for doing this wise act and on the other hand, you want to make Akhand Bharat". During the UP Assembly election campaign earlier this year, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav had also caused a stir by claiming that Jinnah fought for India's Independence.