Row over Akhilesh Yadav's 'Jinnah comment', BJP MP says Yadav to contest polls in Pakistan

Ahead of the 2022 Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, leaders belonging to political parties are addressing meetings and in order to attract the people's attention, they are making statements, which are creating controversies, while SP chief Akhilesh Yadav's statement comparing Jinnah to Patel raised a political storm.

Haryana/Uttar Pradesh: Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav likening Jinnah to Sardar Patel drew flak as the BJP and others fired salvos at him for his comments. He reportedly said that Jinnah had played an important role in the freedom struggle. He contributed equally to Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel.

Following which BJP MP from Uttar Pradesh's Basti district, Harish Dwivedi launched a scathing attack on former UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav saying that Yadav should contest polls in Pakistan if he does not find any leader and heroes in India.

Speaking to the media the Basti MP said, "Akhilesh Yadav should contest elections in Pakistan by forming his party there if he has this much love with the Pakistani freedom fighters. Yadav, who insulted the great Indian freedom fighter, should apologize in front of the countrymen. This is my appeal to the people of national and the citizens of Basti to boycott Akhilesh Yadav and Samajwadi Party thoroughly to teach them a lesson,"

"I strongly condemn the manner in which Akhilesh Yadav made the statement over Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. He has insulted Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Entire Indians are angry with Akhilesh Yadav's statement. Yadav has insulted lakhs of freedom fighters of the nation by comparing Sardar Patel with Mohammad Ali Jinnah, who divided India," Dwivedi added.

Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said, "Some people are not deterring their divisive mindset. The statement of the President of the Samajwadi Party reflects this. He should apologise to the people of the country for glorifying Jinnah."

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister attended an idol installation programme in the Faridabad district of Haryana on Monday. A programme of idol installation was organised in Baba Shantinath Math of Nath sect located in Pyala village, in which he was the chief guest. Speaking on the occasion, Yogi Adityanath demanded an apology to the people of the country from former Akhilesh Yadav for his statement on Jinnah.

Addressing a public meeting in Uttar Pradesh’s Hardoi on Sunday, the birth anniversary of the country’s first deputy Prime Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the SP chief spoke of Muhammad Ali Jinnah in the same breath as Sardar Patel.

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya said, "Akhilesh’s Jinnah remark is unacceptable, condemnable and the SP chief should learn history better and stop eulogising those who divided India. Under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, we are moving towards the ‘one India, great India’ concept and the opposition leader is remembering the main architect of the country’s division."