Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday criticised Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav for comparing Pakistan's founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah with Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Adityanath said that Akhilesh should tender an apology for his remarks wherein he glorified Jinnah as the one who 'fought for India's independence'.
"Samajwadi Party chief yesterday compared Jinnah to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. This is shameful. It's Talibani mentality that believes in dividing. Sardar Patel united the country. Presently, under the leadership of PM, work is underway to achieve Ek Bharat, Shresth Bharat," he said.
Yadav had on Sunday raised eyebrows when he appeared to equate Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Jawaharlal Nehru and Muhammad Ali Jinnah (the founder of Pakistan). He mentioned their names in the same breath as leaders who fought for India's independence.
"Sardar Patel understood the ground and he made decisions accordingly. Hence, he is also known as Iron Man. Sardar Patel, Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and (Muhammad Ali) Jinnah studied in the same institute and became barristers. They helped (India) get freedom and never backed away from any struggle," he said while addressing a public meeting in Hardoi.
Yadav's remark invited sharp flak from the ruling BJP. Party's Uttar Pradesh unit chief Swatantra Dev Singh in a Hindi tweet said, "Why is Akhilesh Yadav praising Muhammad Ali Jinnah on the birth anniversary of Sardar Patel?"
BJP's Rajya Sabha MP Brijlal, in a video message, said "SP chief Akhilesh Yadav compared Iron Man (Sardar Patel) with Jinnah. Akhilesh Yadav must read history. Jinnah was involved in mass murder of Hindus, and also in the partition of the country. A day before the Sardar Patel anniversary, your father (Mulayam Singh Yadav) on October 30, 1990 had fired on Ram devotees in Ayodhya, and mother Saryu (river) became red."
READ MORE: 'Fought for India's freedom': Akhilesh compares Jinnah to Gandhi, Patel, Nehru
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